The Calm Before the Storm: Year 2
by 1seddiefan
Summary: When Hailey Potter goes back to Hogwarts for her second year, something soon starts attacking Muggle-borns. Everyone starts blaming her because she has the ability to talk to snakes and they think that she's the Heir of Slytherin. Now Hailey and her friends have to clear her name and find the real Heir of Slytherin before Hogwarts is shut down for good. Slight AU.
1. Worst Birthday Ever

A/N: I was hoping to wait till I finish the Potters and the Chamber of Secrets before restarting on Year 2, but a reviewer on The Calm Before the Storm: Year 1 had ignited my muse and I just had to write out Year 2.

Well anyway, here's to The Calm Before the Storm: Year 2.

Elizabeth Gillies is the face-claim for Hailey.

* * *

"Third time this week!" Uncle Vernon roared at Hailey Potter from across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"

" _She's_ bored," Hailey replied, irritated that her uncle didn't bother to learn Hedwig's gender or name. She knew that they wouldn't, and she should've have expected it from them. "She's used to flying around outside. If I just let her out at night—"

"Do I look stupid to you?" snarled Uncle Vernon, with a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache.

 _Don't ask me ridiculous questions,_ Hailey thought.

"I know what'll happen if that owl's let out!" Vernon continued.

Hailey almost sighed. It wasn't the first time that an argument broke out over the table and she knew that it certainly wasn't going to be the last. She watched Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia exchange dark glances.

There was a long, loud belch coming from their son, Dudley. "I want more bacon."

"There's more in the frying pan sweetums." Aunt Petunia said, turning misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance…I don't like the sound of that school food…"

"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when _I_ was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon.

Smeltings was the school that Uncle Vernon had went to, that Dudley is now going too. Knobbly sticks were allowed in, which students used to whack each other with when the teachers weren't looking. Getting whacked with the stick was to prepare students for life. Hailey wasn't sure how getting whacked with a stick was going to prepare one for life, since she had gotten whacked with the Smelting's stick once in the knee last year. She was sure that she wasn't prepared to take on the world just yet.

" _You_! Pass the frying pan," Dudley ordered.

"You've forgotten the magic word," Hailey responded irritated. Dudley gasped and fell out of his chair. Aunt Petunia gave a small scream and covered her mouth with her hands. Uncle Vernon jumped to his feet and Hailey noticed that his veins in his temple were throbbing. She was sure that that wasn't a good sign for his health.

Vernon thundered, "What have I told you about saying the 'M' word in our house?"

"I meant 'please'!" Hailey said quickly.

"How dare you threaten Dudley?" Vernon roared, pounding the table with his fist. His face was now turning purple, which couldn't be healthy either.

Hailey started, "I didn't threaten—"

"I warned you! I will not tolerate mention of your abnormality under this roof!" Vernon continued.

"All right, all right," Hailey said, giving up trying to reason with him. Vernon sat back down and Hailey looked at Dudley. "Sorry, Dudley." She added and passed him the frying pan, after Petunia managed to heave her son to his feet.

Vernon sat back down, breathing heavily like the winded rhinoceros that Hailey saw last year at the zoo on Dudley's birthday, and he watched his niece through the corner of his eye.

Hailey should've been used to her uncle treating her like some bomb because she was a witch fresh out of her first year of Hogwarts. If her family was miserable because she was at Privet Drive, it was probably nothing compared to how she felt. She missed her friends from Gryffindor, Ron and Hermione. She missed her Ravenclaw Housemates, Michael and Mandy. She missed Ravenclaw Tower and hearing the wind whistling in the turrets, which was oddly relaxing. She missed eating as much food as she wanted in the Great Hall and she even missed Quidditch, which she played as a Seeker.

Speaking of magic, all of her spellbooks, her cauldron, and her Nimbus Two Thousand were locked in the cupboard under the stairs, which had formally been her bedroom for the past decade. The Dursleys wouldn't care if she lost her position on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. They certainly wouldn't care if she fell behind in her class because she hadn't done her homework.

She eyed her family. Uncle Vernon was large and neckless with an enormous black mustache, which he had grown after ripping half of it off last year. Aunt Petunia was horse-face and bony, with a rather large neck which she used to peek over the hedges to spy on her neighbours. Dudley was blond, pink, and porky, with watery blue eyes.

Hailey on the other hand was small and skinny with messy, elbow-length, dark auburn hair and hazel eyes. She had a lightning shaped scar on her forehead, which she spent most of life believing she got in a car crash that orphaned her, but it was because a mass-murderer by the name of Voldemort who tried to kill her, after he killed her parents. Last term, she had come face-to-face with Lord Voldemort and defeated him once again. The resulting scuffle with Lord Voldemort, who had attached himself to her previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, had caused her to wake up many nights sweating. She could still picture the livid face, the mad red eyes—

"Now we all know that today is a very important day." Uncle Vernon announced, interrupting Hailey from her thoughts.

Hailey ripped a piece of toast in half, looked up at him. One half was hoping that they remembered her twelfth birthday, and the other half was preparing for her crushed hopes. She never really received anything for her birthday and Christmas. The only thing she received was a pen from Uncle Vernon's drill company, but that was never on her birthday or Christmas. Although last term, she received a fifty pence piece for Christmas and a pair of Dudley's used socks.

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," continued Vernon.

Hailey looked down and violently took a bite of the toast. She couldn't believe that she had forgotten about Vernon's dinner party. Since after the possibility that Vernon might get a large order from a rich builder and his wife, Vernon had made a schedule for where they will be at and had rehearsed it so many times to get it memorized.

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be—?"

"In the lounge, waiting to welcome them graciously to our home," said Petunia promptly,

Hailey pulled some crust off the bread and set it on her plate in a frowned face. She moved the two eggs as eyes. She grabbed a strip of bacon and ate it, before setting down a nub for the nose.

"Good, good." Vernon continued, "and Dudley?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a nasty, simpering smile. "May I take you coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?"

Hailey almost chocked on her orange juice, because it was hilarious that Dudley was trying to be polite, when she knew better.

Petunia cried rapturously, "They'll _love_ him!"

Hailey almost laughed at her aunt's reaction.

"Excellent Dudley," Vernon said, proudly. He turned to Hailey, "and _you_ girl?"

Hailey set the glass down and said, in a monotone, "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending that I don't exist." She stabbed the egg yolk with her fork, causing yolk to spill out.

"Exactly," said Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight-fifteen—"

"I'll announce dinner," continued Petunia.

Vernon smiled, "and, Dudley, you'll say—"

"May I take you though to the dining room, Mrs Mason?" Dudley asked, offering his arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" gushed Petunia.

Hailey knew that there was nothing gentlemanly about Dudley.

"And _you_?" Vernon asked rather viciously to Hailey.

"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise, and pretending that I don't exist," responded Hailey in a monotone.

"Damn right," Vernon stated. "Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner." He looked at his wife, "Petunia, any ideas?"

Petunia pretended to gush, "Vernon tells me you're a _wonderful_ golfer, Mr Mason… _Do_ tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs Mason…"

"Perfect…" Vernon turned to his son, "Dudley?"

Dudley looked like he was thinking, which looked like hard work. "How about—'we'd had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr Mason, and I wrote about you.'"

Hailey wondered how believable that would be, considering Dudley probably never met the Masons before and knew next to nothing about them. Aunt Petunia burst into teas and hugged her son, while Hailey considered pulling a "Michael Corner" and slide under the table, but to hide her laughter instead out of embarrassment.

Vernon turned around on Hailey and said menacingly, "and _you_ , girl?"

Hailey sighed and said in a defeated tone, "I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise, and pretending that I don't exist."

"Damn right, you will," Vernon replied gruffly. "The Masons don't know anything about you and it's going to stay that way." He looked at Petunia, "when dinner's over, you take Mrs Mason back to the lounge for coffee and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. We'll be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."

Hailey wondered what they would with her once they got the vacation home in Majorca. She wondered if they would drop her off at Mrs Figg's house, a mad old lady that lived down the street.

"Right—I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me." He rounded on Hailey and snarled, "and _you_. You stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning. You understand?"

Hailey nodded, said, "yes, sir," and walked out back, tugging down her grey dress that Petunia dyed last year, when they thought that she was going to Stonewall High. Out of the entirety of her wardrobe, the only colour in there was a light blue shirt, a dark blue skirt, which served as her pajamas and was in her trunk, and a tie-dyed green and yellow shirt that Mrs Figg bought her from the second-hand shop.

She sat down on the garden bench and tugged at her dress again. It came to mid-thigh, since she grew two inches over the summer holidays, marking her at five-four. She sang under her breath, "Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me…"

She was expecting cards and presents to show up since she had friends now, but apparently they forgot about her. They had planned to spend a week at each others' homes, before rotating homes.

She stared at the hedge and thought about how miserable she was going to be. She had to spend an entire evening pretending that she wasn't going to exist. There was countless times she considered using magic to unlock the padlock that Vernon had put on Hedwig's cage, but she didn't want to risk getting in trouble because underage witches and wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. As she was thinking that over, she looked at the sky. It looked like it was going to be a very sunny day.

She turned to look at the hedge and noticed that the hedges had two enormous green eyes staring right back at her! She blinked and jumped up. The eyes stared at her and before she can contemplate if mental illness ran in the family, a jeering voice said, "I know what day it is."

The eyes blinked and vanished. Hailey frowned, wondering where the eyes went. She said, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, waddling up to her. He proceeded to pinch her arm.

She winced and said, "congratulations. I'm so proud that you finally learned the days of the week."

"Today's your _birthday_ ," Dudley sneered. "And you know what that means?"

Hailey almost paled at that. Every year, Dudley had to pinch her for each year she turned. Since it was her twelfth birthday, he was going to pinch her twelve times, hard enough to leave bruises. She responded, "you're going give to me my Birthday Pinches." Last year, he didn't give her the Birthday Pinches because Hagrid had gate-crashed it to give her the letter from Hogwarts. Maybe Dudley would be terrified of her not to give her any pinches.

"Hey, how come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?" Dudley taunted.

Hailey wondered the same thing, but she wasn't going to let him know that. She said coolly, "Better not let your mum hear you talking about my school."

Dudley hitched up his trousers which were slipping down his arse. He sounded suspicious, "Why're you staring at the hedge?"

Hailey couldn't help herself, "I'm trying remember what spell catches things on fire."

Dudley stumbled backwards, looking panicked. "You c-can't—Dad told you you're not do m-magic—he said he'll chuck you out of the house—and you haven't got anywhere else to go—you haven't got any _friends_ to take you—"

" _Abracadabra_ ," Hailey said fiercely, which was the first thing that came to mind. " _Hocus pocus—squiggly wiggly—_ "

"Mum!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "Mum! She's doing you know what!"

Before Hailey could be impressed at how fast he ran, there was a screech from inside the house. Aunt Petunia came out of the house, holding the frying pan, which she waved around madly, looking like she was almost ready to foam at the mouth. She heaved the frying pan at Hailey, " _You_ wash the dishes! Now! You won't eat until you're done with your chores!"

Hailey went to do as she was told. Doing the dishes was hard because Aunt Petunia allowed Dudley to eat ice cream. Once she was nearly done with the dishes, Dudley would put the used bowl in the sink before getting another bowl that she cleaned. After Dudley had gotten bored of doing that, Aunt Petunia made Hailey clean the windows, wash the car, vacuum the carpeting, and dust the pictures of Dudley. As she dusted the pictures she noticed that a new picture was added to Dudley Through the Ages, which was Dudley wearing his Smeltings uniform. She had snorted at the picture and Dudley had given her three hard pinches, causing her to continue her chores. After she dusted the pictures, Aunt Petunia made her trim the flower beds, prune and water the roses, and repaint the garden bench.

What wasn't helping was that Dudley was on his twelfth bowl of ice cream, which he slurped obnoxiously as Hailey worked.

She tried to drown out the slurping by wondering why she hadn't received anything from her friends, again. She thought that since Michael had been raised in the Muggle world, due to his mother hiding that she was a witch for eleven years, he would've sent her something through the Muggle mail system. Or at least Hermione, but they had owls, which was the wizard equivalent to the postal system.

As she painted a leg on the garden bench, sweat was already pouring down her back, and her shoulders were burning. She was probably going to have a tan line on her shoulders from the shoulder strap on her dress. As she was finishing painting the garden bench, which was probably half past seven when Aunt Petunia shouted, "Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!"

Hailey stood up, her knees aching and wiped her paint splattered hands on her dress, which was muddy, sweaty, and equally paint spattered. At least it had some colour add to the grey. Probably after the bench dries, they would send her out to paint it a different colour.

She moved into the kitchen and eyed the pudding, which was a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. There was a loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.

"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" Aunt Petunia snapped, pointing to two cheese sandwiches on a paper plate. She scrubbed the paint splatters off as best as she can and went to eat the pitiful cheese sandwiches. After she finished eating, Petunia whisked the plate away and threw it in the trash.

"Upstairs! Take the bag of second-hand clothes with you, too!" Petunia said, "Hurry!" Hailey went in the hallway, noticing a rubbish bag by the stair. She grabbed the bag and noticed Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. She held her laugh and went upstairs. She was on the landing when Vernon appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Remember, girl—one sound—" Uncle Vernon warned.

Hailey nodded and tiptoed to her room, slipped inside, closed the door, tossed the rubbish bag on the office chair, and went to throw herself on her bed. Before she could do that, she encountered a problem, because a house-elf was jumping on it.

* * *

A/N: Well, there's chapter one. My older brother liked to pinch me numerous times on my birthdays. Like when I was ten, he had to pinch me ten times, although he stopped doing that a while ago.


	2. A Warning from Dobby

A/N: I considering changing it to where the pudding fell on Mrs Mason, but I decided to leave it to where it fell on the floor instead.

* * *

Hailey managed to shout out in surprise at the sight of the house-elf. The house-elf had large, bat-like ears, bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls, and a long, thin nose. She knew that the house-elf was what had been spying on her in the garden hedge that morning.

They stared at each other and Hailey heard her cousin's voice from the hall, "May I take your coats, Mr and Mrs Mason?"

Hailey almost laughed at the thought of her cousin being polite. She looked at the creature, and that the house-elf was wearing an old, grey pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. The house-elf jumped off of her bed, and it bowed so low that it's nose almost touched the carpet.

Hailey was a little caught off guard at being bowed too. She greeted the house-elf nervously, "Er—hello."

"Hailey Potter!" The house-elf cried in a high-pitched voice that Hailey hoped didn't carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, Miss…such an honour it is…"

Hailey was a little flattered, "Th-thank you." She edged along the wall and took the bag off of her desk chair. She set it on the ground in front of the closet, before sitting down on the chair. She looked the house-elf. The house-elf had said "Dobby" so she decided that must be Dobby's name. "Er—I don't want to be rude or anything, but—this isn't a great time for you to be in my bedroom." She heard Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh from the living room. Dobby hung his head and Hailey felt a little bad for upsetting him. "Not that I'm not pleased to meet you, I am," she added quickly. "Is there any particular reason that you're here, Dobby?"

"Oh, yes, Miss," Dobby responded earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, Miss…it is difficult, Miss…Dobby wondered where to begin…"

Hailey realized that the house-elf was still standing and she momentarily hated her rudeness. She pointed to her bed, "Have a seat, please."

Dobby burst into very noisy tears. " _S-sit down_!" he wailed, " _Never_ … _never ever_ …"

Hailey stared, flabbergasted. She had read up on house-elves and knew that sometimes they weren't treated as equals. She guessed that Dobby wasn't treated as an equal, considering he was saying "never ever". Maybe she offended him, somehow. "I'm sorry if I somehow offended you," she whispered. She hoped that the Dursleys and the Masons didn't hear the wails.

"Offend Dobby," the elf choked, "Dobby has _never_ been asked to side down by a _witch_ or _wizard_ —like an _equal_ —"

Hailey tried shushing Dobby and look comforting at the same time, she wasn't sure if it worked, but she ushered Dobby onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing. She sat back down and waited for Dobby to control himself. After a few minutes, Dobby managed to control himself and fixed his eyes of Hailey with watery adoration. She tried to make small talk, "you must've didn't meet decent witches and wizards then."

Dobby shook his head, then stood up, and started banging his head on the window. " _Bad_ Dobby!" Dobby shouted, " _Bad_ Dobby!"

"What _are_ you doing?" Hailey hissed as she got up and wrestled with the house-elf to get him to stop before he breaks the window or alarm the Masons. If Dobby broke the window, she didn't know how she would explain that to the Dursleys.

Hedwig let out a loud screech and started beating her wings madly against the bars of her cage, displeased at the rude awakening. Hailey managed to set Dobby back down on the bed, and went to quiet Hedwig down, before sitting back down on the desk chair.

"Dobby has to punish himself, Miss." Dobby explained, looking slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, Miss…"

Hailey looked at the elf and noticed the pillowcase. She knew that house-elves needed an article of clothing to be set free, so he was wearing a ratty pillowcase, so he must have a family to serve forever, until they die. She frowned, "Do they know that you're here?"

Dobby shuddered. "Oh, no, Miss, no…Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, Miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, Miss—"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?" Hailey asked in horror at the thought of Dobby shutting his ears in the oven.

Dobby explained, "Dobby doubts it, Miss. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, Miss. They lets Dobby get on with it, Miss. Sometimes they remind me to do extra punishments…"

Hailey almost shuddered at the thought. "Can't anyone help you? Can I help you?" Dobby burst into wails again. Hailey was frantic as she whispered, "please, please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here—"

Her pleas went unnoticed, as Dobby continued crying. "Hailey Potter asks if she can help Dobby…Dobby has heard of your greatness, Miss, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew…"

Hailey felt rather hot in the face at the compliment. "I'm sure what you've heard about my greatness is rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she—" She stopped quickly because thinking of her friend made her heart hurt.

"Hailey Potter is humble and modest," Dobby said, in an almost reverent manner. His orb-like eyes were aglow. "Hailey Potter speaks not of her triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—"

"You mean Voldemort?" Hailey asked confused.

Dobby clapped his hands over his ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, Miss! Speak not the name!"

She cursed her lapse of stupidity, because witches and wizards didn't speak of Voldemort's name. "I'm sorry; I know that a lot of people don't like it. My friend Ron—" Hailey stopped herself again, because thinking of her friends made her heart hurt.

Dobby leaned forward towards Hailey, his eyes wide. He spoke hoarsely, "Dobby heard tell that Hailey Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time, just weeks ago…that Hailey Potter escaped _yet again_."

In a way, Hailey felt proud at doing what no one could, twice, even; once when she was a baby and just last term. She nodded and Dobby's eyes glistened with tears.

"Ah, Miss," Dobby said, dabbing his face with the corner of his pillowcase. "Hailey Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Hailey Potter, to warn her, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later…" Dobby took a deep breath, " _Hailey Potter must not go to Hogwarts._ "

It felt like the breath left Hailey at the thought of not returning to Hogwarts. She stammered, "W-what? But I've got to go back—term starts on September first. You don't know what it's like here. I'm not _even_ wanted here. I'll be miserable here. I'm happy at Hogwarts." She also didn't want to go to Stonewall High, where she might get her head shoved in a toilet. That's where Malcolm, Gordon, and that fifth one, Hailey kind of forgot his name, she was sure that it Denny or Danny or something like that, were going.

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so his ears flapped. "Hailey Potter must stay where she is safe. She is too great, too good, to lose. If Hailey Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in _mortal danger_."

"Why?" Hailey asked surprised. She imagined a flash of lightning and a crack of thunder after Dobby said 'mortal danger'.

"There is a plot, Hailey Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," Dobby whispered, trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months; Miss Hailey Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important, Miss!"

She wasn't sure how to feel about being considered important. "What terrible things? Who's plotting this?" Dobby made a funny sound and started banging his head on the wall. She went to stop him, "All right! You can't tell me and I understand that, I do. I just want to know; why are you warning _me_?" She had an unpleasant thought. "Does it have to do with V- sorry, You-Know-Who?" She noticed that Dobby's head was to close to the wall. "You could just nod or shake your head."

Slowly, Dobby shook his head. "Not—not He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Miss." His eyes were wide and Hailey was positive that he was trying to give her a hint, but she wasn't sure what it was that he was trying to tell her.

A terrible thought occurred to Hailey, "Oh, god." She swallowed. "He hasn't got a brother, has he?" Dobby shook his head and Hailey thought about it. The only people she can think of were Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson, but she was sure that they couldn't endanger her life. "Well, I can't think who else would make horrible things happen at Hogwarts. For instance, there's Dumbledore…" She trailed off and looked Dobby. "You know who Dumbledore is, right?"

Dobby bowed his head. "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, Miss. Dobby had heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, Miss—" Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper, "—there are powers Dumbledore doesn't…powers no decent wizard…" Dobby bounded off the bed, grabbed the desk lamp, and started beating himself on the head, releasing yelps with every hit.

Hailey ran over and grabbed the lamp from Dobby's hands. There was silence downstairs and she heard Uncle Vernon saying, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"

Hailey picked up Dobby by his pillowcase and plopped him into her closet. She closed the door on him, because she didn't want to see how Uncle Vernon reacted if he knew that there was a house-elf in her room.

Her uncle stormed in, already purple-faced and he spoke through gritted teeth, "What the devil are you doing up here?"

The closet door opened and Hailey closed the door. She started, "I-I just—" Dobby opened the door again and she closed the door on him.

Vernon said, "You just ruined the punch-line of my Japanese golfer joke."

"Sorry," Hailey replied.

Vernon pointed at her, "One more sound and you'll wish you've never been born, _girl_." The door opened again and Hailey closed it, again. Vernon looked at it, "and fix that door."

Hailey swallowed, "Yes, sir."

He left the room and Hailey shakily opened the door. "Do you see what it's like here? See why I have to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place where I've got—well I _think_ I've got friends."

"Friends who don't even _write_ to Hailey Potter?" asked Dobby in an almost sly manner.

"I'm sure—wait…" Hailey started to say and looked at Dobby. "How do you know that they haven't written to me?"

Dobby shuffled his feet as he looked at the ground. "Hailey Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best—"

" _Have you been stopping my letters_?" Hailey demanded angrily.

"Dobby has them right here, Miss," the elf said. He stepped away from Hailey and reached in his pillowcase. He took out a thick wad of envelopes and Hailey could make out the chicken-scratch that Michael called handwriting. Dobby looked up at her, "Hailey Potter mustn't be angry with Dobby—"

She ignored the rest of what Dobby was saying as she looked at the letters and ran for them but Dobby jumped out of the way. She almost ran into the wall.

Dobby bargained, "Hailey Potter will have them, Miss, if she gives Dobby her word that she will not return to Hogwarts. Ah, Miss, there is a danger you must not face! Say you won't go back, Miss!"

"No," Hailey replied. "Give me my friends' letters!"

"Then Hailey Potter leaves Dobby no choice," the elf replied sadly. He darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinted down the stairs.

Hailey felt her stomach lurch and ran after him, trying hard not to make a sound. She jumped down the last three stairs and looked around for the house-elf.

"…tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr Mason. She's been dying to hear…" she heard her uncle say from the dinning room.

Hailey went in the hall and then into the kitchen. She looked around and noticed that her aunt's masterpiece of a pudding was floating up to the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner was where Dobby was crouching down.

"No," Hailey replied, almost hoarsely, "they'll kill me."

Dobby said, "Hailey Potter must say she's not going back to school—"

"Dobby…please…" Hailey started.

Dobby ordered, "say it, Miss—"

"I can't—" Hailey admitted, looking at the mountain of cream and sugar violets

"Then Dobby must do it, Miss, for Hailey Potter's own good," Dobby replied, sadly.

The pudding fell to the floor with a crash and a shatter. Cream ended splattering the windows, walls, and Hailey. Dobby slowly faded away from his spot on cupboard and then the scream came. Hailey's heart started beating rapidly and Uncle Vernon burst in to see Hailey covered with whipped cream.

Mr and Mrs Mason walked in. Vernon turned to them, "That's our niece—very disturbed—meeting strangers upsets her, so we keep her upstairs."

Vernon shooed the Masons out of the kitchen, who were looking surprised. Hailey was positive that they were surprised at the fact that a fourth person existed in the house that they weren't told about. Vernon handed her a mop and told her that he was going to flay every inch of her once the Masons leave. Petunia pulled a carton of ice cream out of the freezer and Hailey still shaking, started mopping the cream off the floor. She had a feeling that that the summer with the Dursleys was going to be hell.

She started cleaning the wall when she heard a scream from the dining room, a shout of "lunatics," and the door slamming shut. She wasn't sure what happened but Vernon stepped into the kitchen, grinning madly, and brandishing an envelope. He held it out it to her and demanded, "Read it! Go on! Read it!"

Hailey dropped the rag and took the envelope. She opened the envelope and read the letter that was inside, out loud.

 _Dear Miss Potter,_

 _We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine._  
 _As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside of school, and further spellwork on your part may leave to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._  
 _We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy._  
 _Enjoy your holidays!_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Mafalda Hopkirk_

 **IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE**

 _Ministry of Magic_

Hailey looked up from the letter and up at her uncle, who had a mad gleam in his eyes.

"You didn't tell us you're not allowed to use magic outside school." Vernon said, "Forgot to mention it. Slipped your mind I daresay." He was now bearing down on her, all teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you, girl. I'm locking you up. You're never going back to that school…never…if you try and magic yourself out—they'll expel you!" Vernon laughed like a madman, grabbed Hailey by her upper arm, and dragged her upstairs to lock her in her room.

* * *

The following morning, Vernon had fitted bars on her window and fitted a cat-flap on her door, so they can slip small amounts of food to her, three times a day. They also let her out to use the bathroom in the morning and evening.

Other than that, she was stuck in there nearly round the clock. She didn't have much to do, other than stare out through the bars in the window, talk to Hedwig, try to figure out how to escape, read the unread books Dudley received, and try on the second-hand clothing that Aunt Petunia bought her.

* * *

On day three, the Dursleys showed no signs of relenting, and she couldn't see any way out of the situation. Unless she can somehow remove the doorknob, widen the cat-flap or pry the bars off of the window, she wasn't leaving anytime soon. She didn't have anything to use to even pick the lock on the door.

She was lying on her bed, and looking at the doorknob, trying to figure out how to get out.

Dobby may have tried to save her from whatever horrible thing is going to happen to Hogwarts, but she figured she was going to starve to death at Privet Drive before that can even happen.

The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunia pushed a can of soup into the room. Hailey jumped off the bed and ran over to the can. She grabbed it and drank half of the stone-cold soup, before going over to Hedwig and poured some soggy vegetables into Hedwig's empty food bowl. Hedwig ruffled her feathers and looked at her, as if saying, "girl, why did you give me this slop for?"

Hailey sighed. "Don't give me that look. It's all we have." She put the can next to the door and went to lie back down.

The room was growing darker and she fell into an uneasy sleep. She wasn't sure what she was dreaming about, but she woke up to see that there was someone rattling the bars and staring at her. She saw that it was a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone, who went by the name of Ron Weasley.


	3. To The Burrow

Hailey gaped and blinked at the sight of her best friend. She went to the window and pushed it up, so they can talk to each other through the bars. She looked at him, "How did you—what the—?"

Her jaw dropped when she realized what she was seeing. Ron was leaning out of the back window of a turquoise car that was parked in mid-air, and grinning at her from the front seat of the car, was Fred and George.

"All right, Hailey?" George or Fred, asked.

"What's been going on?" Ron asked, before Hailey could answer the question. "Why haven't you been answering any letters? I've asked you twelve times if you could stay and Mandy said she asked you thirteen times. Hermione and Michael said that you weren't talking to them either. Then Dad came home saying that you've got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles—"

"It wasn't me—and how does your dad know that?" Hailey asked confused.

"He works for the Ministry," Ron stated. "As a Ravenclaw, you should _know_ better than to use magic outside of school—"

"You should talk," Hailey said dryly, while looked at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," Ron replied. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, _we_ didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with—"

"I didn't do it—" Hailey started and then groaned. "It'll take too long to explain. When you get back to Hogwarts, can you tell them that the Dursleys had locked me up and won't let me come back? Obviously I can't magic myself out of here because then I'll get expelled because they'll think that it was my second spell in three days—"

"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've came to take you home with us."

Hailey was confused and looked at all three of the Weasleys. "You can't magic me out either—"

"We don't need to," interrupted Ron. "You forgot who I've got with me." He jerked his head toward the front seat.

Fred threw the end of a rope to Hailey. "Here, tie this around the bars."

Hailey managed to grab it and started tying the rope around the bars. She wondered why they had rope with them. "If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead."

"Don't worry," Fred stated, "Stand back." He revved up the car.

She stepped back to stand next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized that what was happening was important, so she stayed silent. The car revved louder and louder. There was a crunching noise as the bars were pulled off of the window, when Fred drove into the air. Hailey ran to the window, to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Ron hoisted them into the car and Hailey listened, but there was no sound from the Dursleys, other than Vernon and Dudley's snores. Fred had revved the car back to Hailey's bedroom as closely as possible.

"Get in," Ron ordered.

Hailey blinked at him, wondering if he was being serious. "All of my Hogwarts stuff—"

"Where is it?" Ron interrupted.

"It's locked in the cupboard under the stairs. I can't get out of this room," Hailey explained.

"No problem," George said, from the front seat. "Out of the way, Hailey."

Hailey stepped to the side, in front of her bed, as Fred and George climbed through the window into Hailey's room. She glanced down and kicked a training bra under her bed, before the twins can see it.

George took out a hairpin and started to pick the lock. Fred started to explain, "A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick, but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they're a bit slow."

The door swung open with a small click.

"So, we'll get your trunk while your grab anything you need from your room and hand it out to Ron," George whispered.

"Watch out for the bottom stair because it creaks," Hailey pointed out. The twins disappeared in the dark landing and she dashed around, grabbing her things. She grabbed a messenger bag and stuffed some of her clothes, and some of the books she hadn't read yet in it. She tossed Ron her messenger bag and put her shoes on. She tossed him more clothes and went to help Fred and George with bringing her trunk upstairs. Vernon coughed and she nearly dropped the trunk.

She waited for him to show up, trying to figure out what to say to him, but relaxed when he didn't burst out of the bedroom to shout something at her. Well, more like turn purple in the face, make weird hand motions at her, and say incoherent things. They made their way into the room and to the open window. Fred got in the car to pull the trunk with Ron, while Hailey and George went to push the trunk. Inch-by-inch the trunk slid through the window, Uncle Vernon coughed again. She froze and listened for signs of him waking up. She started pushing the trunk again.

"A bit more," Fred said, panting. "One good push—" They pushed the trunk with their shoulders and the trunk slid off the window into the backseat of the car.

"Okay, let's go," George whispered.

When Hailey got onto the windowsill, there was a loud screech behind her.

"Potter!" Uncle Vernon thundered and Hailey paled.

"I forgot Hedwig," Hailey whispered and ran to grab the cage. She ran to the window and passed the cage to Ron, so she can climb onto the chest of drawers.

Vernon hammered the door and there was silence. Then there was a bellow, like the roar of an angry bull, and suddenly his hand was around her ankle. The three Weasleys boys grabbed her arms and pulled on her.

Vernon shouted, "Oh no, girl! You and the bloody pigeon aren't going anywhere!"

"She's a owl you bloody idiot!" Hailey shouted, "let go of me!"

"Petunia!" Vernon bellowed, "she's getting away! She's getting away!"

That seemed to fire up the Weasleys as they pulled on her harder and Vernon pulled her back. The Weasleys gave a harder tug and she finally slipped out of Vernon's grip. Vernon fell out of the window with a loud 'No!' and Hailey threw herself into the car, slamming the door shut. Petunia and Dudley were standing in the room, staring dumbstruck. Hailey rolled down the window and yelled at them, "See you next summer!"

The Weasleys roared with laughter and Hailey couldn't help but join in. Not because it was funny, but because she was finally free of the Dursleys.

"You should let Hedwig out. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings," Hailey said.

George passed Ron the hairpin and Ron worked at the padlock. Soon, Hedwig was out the car, flying alongside it.

"So—what's the story, Hailey? What's been happening?" Ron asked. "The Ravenclaws were starting to sound like they were going bonkers."

Hailey dove into the story about what had happened with Dobby and the pudding. Once she was finished, there was a shocked silence.

"Very fishy," Fred said, finally.

"Definitely dodgy," George said. "So, he wouldn't tell you who's plotting all this stuff?"

"I don't think he could," Hailey replied. "Every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall." She noticed that Fred and George looked at each other. "Wait, do you two think he was lying to me?"

"Well," Fred said, "Put it this way—house elves have powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I reckon that old Dobby was sent to stop you from coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"

"Yes," Hailey and Ron said at the same time.

"Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson," Hailey said. "They hate me."

"Draco Malfoy?" George asked, turning around, "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"

"Must be," Hailey replied. "It's not a very common name is it? Why?"

"I've heard Dad talking about him," George explained. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," Fred started, turning around to look at her. "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung—Dad reckons he was right in You-Know-Who's inner circle."

She heard rumours of the Malfoy family before, so what Fred said didn't surprise her. Malfoy made Dudley look like a kind, thoughtful, and sensitive boy. She frowned, "I don't even know if the Malfoys even own a house-elf…maybe Parkinson then…"

"Well, whoever owns him will be an old Wizarding family, and they'll be rich," Fred said.

"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," George replied. "But all we've got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house."

Hailey could've sworn she heard 'ghoul', but she shouldn't have been surprised at that. She made her thoughts go to Draco Malfoy, who usually had the best of everything; his family was rolling in wizard gold. She could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house, sending the family house-elf to stop her from going back to school. It would probably be something that he would do and she chided herself for believing Dobby. Although, she sympathized with him at the thought of him punishing himself.

"I'm glad we came to get you anyway," Ron stated, dragging Hailey from her thoughts. "I was getting really worried when you weren't answering anyone's letters. I could tell that Michael and Mandy were getting anxious. At first, I thought it was Errol's fault, but—"

"Who's Errol?" Hailey interrupted, confused.

"Our owl," Ron said. "He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he collapsed on a delivery. So then, I tried to borrow Hermes—"

"Who?" Hailey interrupted, once again, confused.

"The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," Fred explained.

"Percy wouldn't lead him to me," Ron said, "said he needed him."

"Percy's been acting very oddly this summer," George explained, frowning. "And he _has_ been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room…I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge."

Hailey frowned at that. She didn't know Percy that well since she was in Ravenclaw, but she had seen him around a few times. She looked at the interior of the car. "Hey, does your dad know you have the car?"

"Er…no," Ron replied. "He had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it."

"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?" Hailey asked.

"He works in the most boring department." Ron answered, "the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

Hailey shrugged, since it didn't sound that bad. She knew that Mandy's dad worked for some other ministry department; it was something about magical creatures. She couldn't recall the name at the moment. "Why do they have a department for that?"

"Well, last year, some really old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare—Dad was working overtime for weeks," Ron explained.

Hailey looked at him, arching an eyebrow, "What happened?"

Ron started to explain, "The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place. One man ended up in the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic—it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office—and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up—"

Hailey looked at the car, "But your dad—this car—"

Fred started laughing. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts I back together again. If he raided _our_ house, he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."

Hailey wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"That's the main road," George stated, looking down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes. Just as well, it's getting light."

Sure enough, Hailey could see a faint, pinkish glow that was visible along the horizon to the east. When the car went lower, she could see a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees.

"We're a little way outside the village," George told her. "Ottery St. Catchpole."

The flying went lower and lower. She could see the edge of a brilliant red sun gleaming through the trees.

She started to feel a little nervous, because she never stayed over at a friend's house before and she wasn't sure what to do at a friend's house. The only experience she had was being with Mrs Figg and only then that was once a year. What does one do at their friend's home anyway? Look at pictures of cats and eat stale cake or something? She was driven out of those thoughts as the car bounced and she looked at the tumbledown garage in a small yard. She looked out the window to see Ron's house.

She couldn't help but noticed that it may have once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there. It was several stories high and it was crooked. She saw that it had multiple chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign was stuck in the ground near the entrance that read: **The Burrow**. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. There were several fat brown chicken pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," Ron told her.

Hailey looked at him, smiling, and said, "I think it's perfect." The house had so much character to it than 4 Privet Drive. They got out of the car and she was holding onto her messenger bag. She put it on her left shoulder, so the bag was on her right side.

Fred said, "now, we'll go upstairs really quietly and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to Hailey, and no one ever know we flew the car."

"Right," said Ron. "Come on, Hailey." He turned to the house, "I sleep at the—at the top." She looked at him, confused. Ron had turned a rather nasty greenish colour and he stared at the house. They turned around to see what he was looking at.

Mrs Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering the chickens. Hailey couldn't help but think that for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, she resembled a saber-toothed tiger.

" _Ah_ ," Fred muttered.

"Oh, dear," George said.

Mrs Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket. " _So_ ," she said in a whisper.

"Morning, Mum," George said in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" Mrs Weasley asked, in a deadly whisper.

Hailey wasn't sure if she was going to get yelled at by her as well, so she tightened her hold on the strap to her messenger bag to prepare herself.

Fred started, "Sorry Mum, but see, we had too—"

" _Beds empty! No note! Car gone—could have crashed—out of my mind with worry—did you care?—never, as long as I've lived—you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy—_ " Mrs Weasley interrupted.

Hailey couldn't help but notice that even though the Weasley boys were taller than Mrs Weasley, they were cowering at her rage.

"Perfect Percy," Fred muttered.

"You could do with taking a leaf out of Percy's book!" Mrs Weasley shouted, poking Fred's chest. "You could have _died_ , you could have been _seen_ , you could have lost your father his _job_ —"

Hailey wasn't sure how long it took, but Mrs Weasley had shouted herself hoarse. Mrs Weasley turned to her and Hailey tightened her hold on her messenger bag and backed up, only to bump into the car, her heart beating rapidly. This woman was a hell lot more intimidating than Uncle Vernon with half of his mustache missing. She also didn't want to get yelled at by Mrs Weasley.

"I'm very please to see you, Hailey, dear," Mrs Weasley said smiling. "Come in and have some breakfast." She turned and walked back into the house. Hailey looked at Ron, nervously. Ron nodded and followed after Mrs Weasley.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle of the kitchen. Hailey sat down on the edge of her seat, holding onto the strap of her messenger bag. She never saw a wizard's kitchen before and looked around.

The clock on the wall opposite of her had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like: _Time to make tea, Time to feed the chickens,_ and _You're late._ On the mantelpiece there were books were stacked three deep with titles like: _Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking,_ and _One Minute Feasts—It's Magic._

She wasn't sure if her ears were deceiving her, because she heard from the old radio next to the sink announce, "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."

Mrs Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her songs as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know _what_ you were thinking of," and " _never_ would have believed it."

"I don't blame _you_ , dear," she assured Hailey, tipping four sausages onto her plate. "Arthur and I have been worried about you, too. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves if you hadn't written back to Ron by Friday." She was adding three fried eggs to Hailey's plate. "But really, flying an illegal car halfway across the country—anyone could have seen you—" she flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.

"It was _cloudy_ , Mum!" Fred said, with his mouth full.

"You keep your mouth closed while you're eating!" Mrs Weasley snapped at him.

"They were starving her, Mum!" George stated.

"There were bars on her window," Ron added.

Mrs Weasley pointed at him. "Well, you best hope that I don't put bars on _your_ window!" Mrs Weasley's expression softened as she cut Hailey a piece of bread and buttered it for her.

A small redhead girl in a long nightdress appeared in the kitchen, looked at Ron and Hailey sitting next to each other. Her eyes widened, she gasped, and ran out again.

Hailey looked at Ron, confused. "What was that all a—?"

"You remember Ginny, right?" Ron asked, in a whisper.

She nodded, "Yes."

Ron's ears turned pink, "She wants you as a sister-in-law."

Hailey wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Yeah," Fred said with a grin. "She chose Ron to be your husband. She was talking about how you two were walking together in King's Cross all summer. Told her all about how you two were practically inseparable all term." He caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word.

Hailey wasn't sure how to feel about Ginny wanting her to marry Ron, before pushing that to the side. Nothing more was said until their plates were clean, which took a surprising short time.

" _Blimey_ , I'm tired," Fred yawned and set down his utensils. "I think I'll go to bed and—"

"You will not," Mrs Weasley snapped. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again—"

Fred started, "Oh, Mum—"

"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and George. She looked at Hailey, "You can go up to bed in Ginny's room, dear. You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car—"

"I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming—" Hailey started, feeling wide awake and energetic.

"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work," Mrs Weasley stated. "Now, let's see what Lockhart's got to say on the subject—" She pulled a very heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece.

 _Does the wizarding world have books on_ every _subject?_ Hailey wondered, _what doesn't exist in the wizarding world?_

George groaned, "Mum, we know how to de-gnome a garden—"

Hailey looked at Mrs Weasley's book. Written across it in fancy gold letters was the words _Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests_. There was a big photograph on the front of a very good-looking wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. The photograph was moving; the wizard kept winking cheekily up at them all.

Mrs Weasley beamed down at him. "Oh, he is marvelous. He knows his household pest, alright. It's a wonderful book." She looked at Hailey, "he was sorted into Ravenclaw, as well. He says it in his autobiography, _Magical Me_."

"So was Professor Quirrell and look what happened to him," Hailey stated dryly.

"Mum _fancies_ him," Fred told her in a audible whisper.

"Don't be ridicules, Fred," said Mrs Weasley, her cheeks rather pink. "All right, if you think you know better than Lockhart, you can go and get on with it, and woe betide you if there's a single gnome in that garden when I come out to inspect it."

Yawning and grumbling, the Weasleys slouched outside with Hailey trailing behind them. The garden was large, with plenty of weeds, the grass looking like it needed to be cut, gnarled trees all around the walls, plants she never saw before spilling out of the flowerbeds, and a big green pond filled with frogs. In her opinion, that was what a garden should look like. She was positive that the Dursleys wouldn't like it, so she loved it even more.

"You know, Muggles have garden gnomes too," Hailey told Ron.

"Yeah, I've seen those things that they think are gnomes." Ron replied bending over into a peony bush. "Like fat little Santa Clauses with fishing rods."

She was a little surprised that they know who Santa Claus is and she heard a violent scuffling noise. The peony bush shuddered and Ron straightened up. "Now _this_ is a gnome." He sounded grim for some reason.

The gnome was kind of creepy looking, because it was small and leathery looking, with a large, knobby bald head, exactly like a potato. "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" The gnome squealed, much to Hailey's surprise.

Ron held it at arm's length as it kicked at him with horny little feet. Ron grasped it around the ankles and turned it upside down. "This is what you have to do." He raised the gnome above his head.

"Gerroff me!" the gnome squealed.

Hailey thought he was going to somehow shove the gnome in the dirt upside down, but Ron started swinging it in great circles. She was stunned and asked, "does it—"

"It doesn't _hurt_ them—you've just got to make them really dizzy so they can't find their way back to the gnomeholes." Ron explained, somehow knowing what Hailey was going to ask. Ron released the gnome's ankles and it flew possibly twenty feet in the air and landed with a thud in the field over the hedge.

Fred apparently watched the entire thing, since he said, "pitiful. I bet I can get mine beyond that stump."

Hailey grabbed the nearest gnome and decided just to drop it over the hedge, but the gnome, who apparently sensed some weakness in her, sank its razor-sharp teeth into her finger. She gave a squeal and started trying to shake it off. She didn't want to pull the gnome off, in case her finger was ripped off with it. The gnome released her finger and went airborne. Hailey looked at her finger which was bleeding a little, glad she still had it. She decided to take her sympathy for the gnomes back.

"Wow, Hailey—that must have been forty feet…" Fred said, slightly impressed.

They started throwing the gnomes into the air.

"See, they're not too bright," George explained to Hailey, grabbed six gnomes at once. "The moment they know that de-gnoming's going on, they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learnt by now just to stay put."

She wasn't sure how long it took, but a crowd of gnomes in the field started walking away in straggling line, their little shoulders hunched. In a way, she felt a little bad.

"Don't worry, they'll be back." Ron told her, as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. "They love it here. Dad's too soft with them; he thinks they're funny."

They heard the front door slam, causing Hailey to flinch a little.

"He's back!" George stated, "Dad's home!"

They hurried through the garden and back into the house.

Mr Weasley was slumped in a kitchen chair with his glasses off and his eyes closed. He was a thin man, going bald, but the little hair he had was as red as any of his children's. He was wearing long green robes which were dusty and travel-worn.

He started groping for the teapot, as they all sat down around him, "What a night. Nine raids. Nine! And old Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on him when I had my back turned."

Hailey wondered what type of person named their kid Mundungus. She tried to picture this person getting called Dung a lot because of it. She wasn't sure who Mundungus was and decided to feel sorry for this person. She watched as Mr Weasley took a long gulp of tea and sighed.

"Find anything, Dad?" Fred asked, sounding eager.

Hailey wondered what one expects to find on a raid.

"All I got were a few shrinking door keys and a biting kettle," Mr Weasley yawned.

Hailey thought, _what does a biting kettle look like? Would it have a face on the side that's enchanted to bite people? Would the side have a mouth that bites people? Would the spout bite people? And why enchant it to bite people? Why not enchant it to insult people?_

"…some extremely odd ferrets, but that's the Committee on Experimental Charms, thank goodness," Mr Weasley was saying.

"Why would anyone bother making door keys shrink?" George asked.

"Just Muggle-baiting," Mr Weasley stated and sighed. "Sell them a key that keeps shrinking to nothing so they can never find it when they need it."

 _That's a lame prank,_ Hailey thought.

Arthur continued, "of course, it's very hard to convict anyone because no Muggle would admit that their key keeps shrinking—they'll insist that they just keep losing it. Bless them, they'll go to any lengths to ignore magic, even it's staring them in the face. But the things our lot have taken to enchanting, you wouldn't believe—"

"Like cars for instance?" Mrs Weasley shouted and she appeared, holding a long poker like a sword.

Mr Weasley's eyes jerked open. He stared guiltily at her, "C-cars, Molly, dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars," Mrs Weasley stated. "Imagine a wizard buying a rusty old car and telling his wife all he wanted to do with it was take it apart to see how it worked, while he _really_ was enchanting it to make it _fly_."

Mr Weasley just blinked at her. "Well, dear, I think you'll find that he would be quite within the law to that, even if—er—he maybe would have done better to, um, tells his wife the truth. There's a loophole in the law, you'll find…As long as he wasn't _intending_ to fly the car, the fact that the car _could_ fly wouldn't—"

"Arthur Weasley, you made sure there was a loophole when you wrote that law!" Mrs Weasley shouted. Hailey wasn't sure what was going on, so she held onto the strap to her messenger bag, not sure what was going to happen. "Just so you could carry on tinkering with all that Muggle rubbish in your shed! And for your information, Hailey arrived this morning in the car you weren't intending to fly!"

Mr Weasley looked confused, "Hailey?" He asked blankly, "Hailey who?"

At first, Hailey was positive that Mr Weasley must have confused her for Ginny. Mr Weasley looked around, saw Hailey, and jumped up. "Good lord, is it Hailey Potter?" He took Hailey's hand and shook it, "very please to meet you, Ron's told us so much about—"

" _Your sons flew that car to Surrey and back last night!_ " Mrs Weasley shouted. "What have you got to say about that, eh?"

Mr Weasley turned to his sons, "Did you really? Did it go all right? I—I mean," he suddenly faltered as sparks flew from Mrs Weasley's eyes, "That—that was very wrong, boys—very wrong indeed…"

Hailey busied herself by looking through her bag, so they wouldn't be able to see her giggling at Mr Weasley's reaction.

Ron leaned over to Hailey, "Let's leave them to it." Mrs Weasley looked like she was swelling, like a bullfrog. "Come on, I'll show you what The Burrow looks like. First, I'll show you my bedroom and then I'll take you to Ginny's room, where you'll obviously be staying." He led her out of the kitchen and down a narrow passageway to an uneven staircase, which zigzagged up through the house.

On the third landing, she noticed a door was open and she saw Ginny staring at them, smiling, before the door closed.

They climbed up two more landings and they reached a door that had peeling paint. The small plaque said: **Ronald's Room** on it.

She stepped in the room, noticing that her head nearly touched the sloping ceiling. She had to blink and do a double-take. It looked like she stepped in a furnace or hell, because everything was a violent shade of orange: the bedspread, the walls, and even the ceiling. Hailey couldn't be sure what Ron's room said about him, besides that he must really loved the colour orange. She noticed the poster of the same seven witches and wizards, all wearing bright orange robes, carrying broomsticks, and waving energetically. Hailey looked at him, "are they your favourite Quidditch team?"

"They're the Chudley Cannons," Ron stated. He pointed at the orange bedspread that was emblazed with two giant black C's and a speeding cannonball. "They're ninth in the league."

She noticed Ron's school spellbooks were next to comic books that featured _The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle_. Ron's magic wand was lying on top of a fish tank full of frog spawn on the windowsill, next to Scabbers, who was sleeping in a patch of sun. She stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards that was on the floor to go look out the small window. She saw the gnomes sneaking one by one back through the Weasleys' hedge in the field far below. She turned to look at Ron who was looking at her, maybe nervously.

"It's a bit small," Ron replied, quickly. "Not like that room you had with the Muggles. And I'm right below the ghoul in the attic; he's always banging on the pipes and groaning. Although Ginny's room is right below Fred and George's room—they're always making things explode."

"This is the best house that I've ever been in," Hailey said, grinning widely. She knew that she was going to love it here and she saw that Ron's ears went pink.


	4. At Flourish and Blotts

Hailey was surprised to find that life at the Burrow was vastly different at Privet Drive. The Dursleys liked everything to be neat and ordered; the Weasleys' house had burst with the strange and unexpected.

The first time she had looked in the mirror over the kitchen mantelpiece, it had shouted, " _Brush your hair, scruffy_!" at her. The ghoul that was in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting to quiet, and the small explosions that were coming from Fred and George's bedroom, was considered normal.

What she found unusual was that it seemed like everyone liked her.

Mrs Weasley fussed over the state of her clothes and tried to force her to eat third helpings at every meal. Mr Weasley liked having her sit next to him at the dinner tables so that he could ask her questions about life with Muggles. He had asked her to explain how plugs and the postal service worked. She had once explained to Mr Weasley how telephones worked.

The first afternoon she was there, she had sent Hedwig out with letters to Mandy and Michael.

On the first night at the Burrow, after Hailey got settled in Ginny's room, Ginny asked, "What's Hogwarts like?"

Hailey started to explain, "well, there's a giant squid in the lake…"

* * *

A week later, Hailey was shaken awake by a very persistent person.

"Come on, wake up." Ginny said shaking her again.

Hailey grumbled and got up from her spot on Ginny's floor. She looked at her temporary roommate and ran her hand through her hair. She gathered up some clothes and went into the lavatory, changing into a black sleeveless undershirt a neon yellow skirt. She walked down to the kitchen to see that Mr and Mrs Weasley and Ron were already in there.

Ron was eating a bowl of porridge and when he looked up, his spoon dropped onto the table. He blinked and gaped at Hailey. "Blimey! That skirt is ghastly!"

Hailey shrugged and they went to sit with him, who was sitting in between Mr Weasley and an open chair at the end of the table. Somehow, Hailey ended up sitting next to Ron and from the corner of her eye; she noticed that Ginny had taken the spot next to Mr Weasley. Ginny gave her a wide smile and acted like nothing happened.

Mrs Weasley passed Hailey some toast and she took it.

"Letters from school, and from Mandy and Michael," Mr Weasley said, passing Hailey a yellowish parchment letter, addressed in green ink, and two other non-important looking ones. "Dumbledore already knows you're here, Hailey—doesn't miss a trick that man."

Hailey thanked him, took the letter, and opened it. There was the letter telling her to catch the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross station on September 1st and there was a list of new school books that she needed to get for her second year.

 _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ by Miranda Goshawk  
 _Break with a Banshee_ by Gilderoy Lockhart.  
 _Gadding with Ghouls_ by Gilderoy Lockhart  
 _Holiday_ s _with Hags_ by Gilderoy Lockhart  
 _Travels with Trolls_ by Gilderoy Lockhart  
 _Voyages with Vampire_ by Gilderoy Lockhart  
 _Wanderings with Werewolves_ by Gilderoy Lockhart  
 _Year with the Yeti_ by Gilderoy Lockhart

One thing Hailey can tell about Lockhart was that he must love alliteration.

"You've been told to get all of Lockhart's books, too!" Fred exclaimed, almost causing Hailey to jump in her seat in surprise. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan—bet it's a witch."

Hailey turned her head to glance at him, because he was standing behind her, reading over her list. She knew next to nothing about Lockhart and all she gathered was that he was good-looking and from Ravenclaw. Fred went to busy himself with some marmalade and Hailey looked at Mrs Weasley. She opened the other two non-important looking ones, which were her friends' replies. Apparently Michael's mother didn't like the idea of someone staying at their flat for a week and Mandy's dad had something going on for the entire summer holiday, to where no one was allowed there.

"That lot won't come cheap," George stated looking at his parents. "Lockhart's books are expensive."

Mrs Weasley was looking worried. "Well, we'll manage. I expect we'll be able to pick up a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

Hailey looked at Ginny in sympathy and heard someone enter the kitchen. She turned to see Percy walking in. He was already dressed, and he had the Hogwarts prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest. "Morning, all," he said in a brisk tone, "lovely day."

"Morning," Hailey mumbled in return.

Percy sat down in the only remaining chair but jumped up and picked up what looked like a molting, grey feather duster.

 _Who would put that there?_ Hailey thought confused and noticed that the feather duster was breathing.

"Errol!" Ron exclaimed and took the owl from Percy. He removed three letters from the owl's wing. " _Finally_ —he's got Hermione's, Mandy's, and Michael's answers." He looked at Hailey, "I wrote to them saying that we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys."

He went to put Errol on a perch, just inside the back door and tried to stand him on it, but Errol just fell off of it. Ron went to put the owl on a draining board, muttering, "pathetic" to either the owl or to himself. He passed Mandy and Michael's letters to Hailey.

She opened them and saw that Michael's small note boiled down to 'good luck' and to let him know if she showed up safely. Mandy's was more along the lines of that she was currently overwhelmed with schoolwork, telling Ron good luck, and to let her know if she showed up as well.

Ron opened Hermione's letter to read out loud to Hailey.

" _Dear Ron, and Hailey, if you're there,_

 _I hope everything went all right and that Hailey is okay, and that you didn't do anything illegal to get her out, Ron, because that would get Hailey into trouble, too. I've been really worried and if Hailey is all right, will you please let me know at once, but perhaps it would better if you used a different owl, because I think another delivery might finish your one off._

 _I'm very busy with schoolwork, of course_ '—how can she be?" Ron asked in horror. "We're on holiday!—' _and we're going to London on next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's happening as soon as you can. Love from Hermione_."

Hailey was considering writing to Michael and Mandy to see if they can meet up in Diagon Alley, too, but decided not to bother them.

"Well, that fits in nicely, we can go and get all your things then, too," Mrs Weasley said, and started clearing the table. Hailey tried to help, but Mrs Weasley said that she had it. "What're you all up to today?"

Ron, Fred, and George had talked her into going up the hill to a small paddock the Weasleys owned. Ron, Fred, and George had told her that it was surrounded by trees which blocked it from view of the village below, meaning that they could practice Quidditch there, as long as they didn't fly too high. They also had to use apples instead of actual Quidditch balls because it would be hard to explain if the Quidditch balls had escaped and went to the village. She had promised them that they can ride the Nimbus Two Thousand.

Five minutes later, they were marching up the hill, broomsticks over their shoulders. Hailey had asked Percy if he wanted to join them, but he said that he was busy. The only time that she had seen him was at mealtimes, but mostly stayed in his room. She considered the idea of Percy possibly coming up with a huge prank to pull on his family before he leaves Hogwarts and he was collaborating with a friend for help.

"Wish I knew what he was up to," Fred said. "He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve O.W.L.s and he hardly gloated at all."

"Ordinary Wizarding Levels," George explained to Hailey, who looked confused. "Bill got twelve, too. If we're not careful, we'll have another Head Boy in the family. I don't think I can stand the shame."

Hailey still wished that she was able to meet Bill and Charlie Weasley, Ron's elder brothers. Ron had told her that Charlie was in Romania studying dragons and Bill was in Egypt working with the wizard bank, Gringotts. Bill and Charlie seemed interesting too meet.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are going to afford all our school stuff this year," George said, after a while. "Five sets of Lockhart books! And Ginny needs robes and a wand and everything."

She wasn't sure what to say to that and thought of the small fortune that her parents had left her when they had died. It made her feel guilty about having it, while the Weasleys were struggling with money.

* * *

On Wednesday, Mrs Weasley woke them all up early in the morning. After a quick half a dozen bacon sandwiches each, they pulled on their coats and Hailey took her messenger bag with her. Mrs Weasley took a flowerpot off of the kitchen mantelpiece. She peered inside and sighed, "we're running low, Arthur. We'll have to buy some more today. Ah, well, guests first!" She held the flowerpot out to Hailey, "after you, Hailey dear!"

She noticed that they all were watching her and felt her face heat up in embarrassment. "W-what am I supposed to do?"

"She's never traveled by Floo powder," Ron piped up suddenly. "Sorry, Hailey, I forgot."

Hailey looked at him, knowing that a woman name Ignatia Wildsmith who had been in Ravenclaw, as well, invented Floo Powder. She knew that because Ravenclaw prefect Robert Hilliard had told them that in his welcoming speech last term. She also knew that Garrick Ollivander was also in Ravenclaw.

Mr Weasley gaped, "Never? How did you get into Diagon Alley last year?"

Hailey looked at him, "Oh, I went in the Underground—"

Mr Weasley looked eager, "Really? Were there _escapators_? How exactly—"

"Not now, Arthur," Mrs Weasley interrupted, before Hailey could correct Mr Weasley. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, dear, but goodness me, if you never used it before—"

"She'll be just fine, Mum," Fred said. "Hailey, watch us first."

She watched as Fred took a pinch of glittering powder out of the flowerpot, stepped up to the fire, and threw the powder into the flames. To Hailey's astonishment, the fire with a roar, turned emerald green and rose higher than Fred, who stepped in it. He shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and then he vanished.

"You must speak clearly, dear," Mrs Weasley said as George stuck his hand in the flowerpot. "Be sure to get out at the right grate."

The fire roared and whipped George out of sight, too. Hailey asked, nervously, "the right what?"

Mrs Weasley started explaining. "Well, there are an awful lot of wizard fires to choose from, you know, but as long as you've spoken clearly—"

"She'll be fine, Molly, don't fuss." Mr Weasley told his wife as he helped himself to some powder.

Mrs Weasley looked at her husband, "But, dear, if she got lost, how would we ever explain to her aunt and uncle?"

"Oh, they wouldn't mind," Hailey cut in before they could further talk about her, when she was standing there. "Dudley would think it was a brilliant joke if I got lost up a chimney. Don't worry about—"

"Well…all right…you go after Arthur," Mrs Weasley said. "Now, when you get into the fire, say where you're going—"

"Keep your elbows tucked in," Ron advised Hailey.

"And your eyes shut," Mrs Weasley stated. "The soot—"

"Don't fidget," Ron interrupted, "or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace—"

"But don't panic and get out too early; wait until you see Fred and George," Mrs Weasley continued.

She wasn't sure if she got all that, but she nodded. She took a pinch of Floo Powder and walked to the edge of the fire. Her heart was beating rapidly and she took a deep breath. She scattered the powder into the flames and stepped forward. The fire felt like a warm breeze and she opened her mouth to shout, but got a mouthful of hot ash instead. She coughed and said, "D-Dia-gon Alley."

She felt like she was being sucked down a giant drain. She seemed to be spinning very fast—the roaring in her ears was deafening—she tried to keep her eyes opened, but the whirl of green flames made her feel sick. Something hard knocked her elbow and she tucked it in tightly; she was still spinning and spinning—it felt like cold hands were slapping her face—she squinted to see through the green flames, she saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and saw glimpses of the rooms beyond and she felt her bacon sandwiches churning inside her stomach—she closed her eyes and wished everything would stop and then—

She fell face forward onto cold stone. She groaned in pain and tried to get her bearings back. She got onto her knees and noticed that, wherever she was, she was alone. She was in a stone fireplace in what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop. She noticed that it looked like nothing would be on a Hogwart's school list in the shop.

She got up and saw a glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. She stepped out of the fireplace and noticed that on the walls, there were evil-looking masks staring down. There was an assortment of human bones on the counter and she looked up to see rusty, spiked instruments hanging from the ceiling. She noticed through the dusty shop window that there was a dark, narrow street.

 _I'm not in Diagon Alley,_ she thought, shaking. _I have to get out of here._

Her nose, elbows, and knees were still smarting from the fireplace. She went to the door and noticed that there was two people on the other side of the glass. One of them was the last person she wanted to meet, while covered in soot, wearing the ghastly neon yellow skirt, and looking lost or out of place in the creepy shop. She narrowed her eyes at Draco Malfoy and looked around the shop. She saw a large black cabinet and ran into it. She closed the doors, leaving them open just a crack so she can peer through them. A bell clanged and Malfoy stepped in the shop.

A calm, pointed faced, long-haired blond man walked in, holding a walking stick. Hailey knew that he was Malfoy's father because the older man had the same identical cold, grey eyes. She had the displeasure of meeting Malfoy's father last year. Well, more like she grabbed a book off the shelf at Flourish and Blotts, turned, walked into Michael Corner, dropped all their books, and as they were picking up their books, Malfoy's father walked up and looked at them with disgust before walking off.

Mr Malfoy was looking at the items on display in a lazy way. He rang the bell on the counter and he turned to Draco, who was reaching for the glass eye. "Touch nothing, Draco."

Malfoy turned to his father, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."

"I said I would buy you a racing broom," Mr Malfoy said as he drummed his fingers on the countertop.

"What's the good of that if I'm not on the House team?" Malfoy asked, looking sulky and, in Hailey's opinion, bad-tempered. "Hailey Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so she can play for Ravenclaw," he sounded bitter. "She's not even that good, it's just because she's _famous_ …famous for having a stupid _scar_ of her forehead." Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls as he continued ranting, "…everyone thinks she's so _smart_ , wonderful _Potter_ with her _scar_ and her _broomstick_ —"

"You have told me this at least a dozen times, already," Mr Malfoy interrupted and gave his son a quelling look. "And I would remind you that it is not—prudent—to appear less than fond of Hailey Potter, now when most of kind regard her as the hero who made the Dark Lord disappear—ah, Mr Borgin."

Hailey wasn't sure what to think of Malfoy ranting about her to his father. She didn't care if someone hated or disliked her, but it was just odd to hear that a boy hated her. She had a feeling that Dudley's gang, except Piers, didn't hate her, they just bullied her because Dudley made them do it.

A stooping man with greasy hair appeared behind the counter. He was smoothing his hair back from his face. "Mr Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again." He had a voice the was more oily than his hair. "Delighted—and young Master Malfoy, too—charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced—"

"I'm not buying today, Mr Borgin, but selling," Mr Malfoy stated.

The smile faded slightly from Mr Borgin's face, "Selling?"

"You have head, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids." Mr Malfoy explained, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr Borgin to read. "I have a few—ah—items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call."

 _What items is he talking about? What raids?_ Hailey wondered.

Mr Borgin fixed a pair of pince-nez to his nose and looked down at the list. "The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"

Mr Malfoy's lip curled, "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect; yet, the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumours of a new Muggle Protection Act—no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it—"

Hailey wanted to storm out of the cupboard and yell at Mr Malfoy for insulting her friend's dad like that. She dug her fingers into the strap of her messenger bag to quell her anger.

Mr Malfoy continued "—and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it _appear_ —"

"I understand, sir, of course," Mr Borgin replied. "Let me see…"

"Can I have that?" Draco asked, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.

Mr Borgin looked over, "ah, the Hand of Glory!" He abandoned Mr Malfoy's list to walk over to Malfoy. "Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."

"I hope my son will amount to more than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," Mr Malfoy replied coldly.

Mr Borgin said rather quickly, "No offense, sir, no offense meant—"

"Though, if his grades don't pick up," Mr Malfoy started, more coldly, "That may indeed be all he is fit for—"

"It's not my fault," Draco retorted. "The teachers all have favourites, that Hermione Granger—"

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," Mr Malfoy snapped.

Hailey had to cover her mouth to hide her snort, glad to see that Draco looked both abashed and angry. She was also proud that Hermione managed to beat Draco Malofy.

"It's the same all over," Mr Borgin said in that oily voice of his. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere—"

"Not with me," Mr Malfoy stated.

"No, sir, not with me, sir," Mr Borgin said as he took a deep bow. In Hailey's opinion, she thought that was a little to quick of a denial.

"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," Mr Malfoy said shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today—"

They started to haggle and Hailey watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to her hiding place, examining the objects for sale. Hailey was worried that Malfoy might be able to see her yellow skirt through the crack of the cupboard and she backed up, till she touched the back of the cupboard. Draco paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and smirked while reading a card that was propped on a magnificent necklace of opals. Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him. He walked forward and was about ready to grab the handle—

"Done," said Mr Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco—"

Malfoy turned away and Hailey wiped her forehead with the bottom part of her shirt.

Malfoy said, "Good day to you, Mr Borgin. I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods."

The door closed and Hailey heard Mr Borgin say, "Good day yourself, _Mister_ Malfoy, and if the stories as true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your _manor_." He had dropped the oily manner.

He was muttering something and had left to what seemed to be the back room. She waited, making sure that he wouldn't return and quietly slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases, stopped to look at the opal necklace to see what Malfoy smirked. _Caution: Do Not Touch. Curse—Has Claimed the Live of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date._ With that, she ran out of the shop and right into a dingy alleyway, that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. She turned round to see that Borgin and Burkes looked to be the largest shop. She turned around again to see the opposite shop, which had a display of shrunken heads, which looked rather nasty. Two doors down had a large cage with live gigantic black spiders. Now she knew where Lee Jordan had gotten that giant tarantula, at least she was sure that's where Lee got it from.

She noticed that two shabby-looking wizards were staring her and muttering to each other. Perhaps they were staring at the yellow skirt or maybe they were wondering why someone like her was there. Maybe she didn't look like the Dark Arts type. With that thought it mind, she tried to walk like she wanted to watch the world burn and make her enemies cry they saw her; she tried to find her way out. It didn't help because she was feeling jumpy the entire time. She found a shop that was selling poisonous candles; one card said Lovely Nightshade on it. Above the shop was an old wooden sign that said Knockturn Alley. It didn't help because she never heard of it and she didn't speak clearly because of the ash back in the Weasleys' fireplace.

Trying to keep calm, she tried to come up with a plan. Maybe she could try—

"Not lost are you, my dear?" a voice asked from behind her. She jumped and turned around. An aged witch was standing there and leering at her, showing mossy teeth, and holding a tray of what looked like human fingernails.

Hailey backed away, positive those bacon sandwiches were going to come back up. "I'm fine, thanks. I'm just—"

"Hailey! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"

Hailey jumped at the sudden loud voice of Hagrid and the witch did to, causing the fingernails to cascade over her feet. The witch cursed Hagrid, who came striding over to them. "Hagrid," Hailey managed to choke out. "I was lost—Floo powder—"

Hagrid grabbed Hailey's arm and pulled her away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of the witch's hands. Her shrieks seemed to have followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight.

She squinted and saw the familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance—Gringotts bank. She was glad that Hagrid had steered her right into Diagon Alley.

"Yer a mess!" Hagrid said, gruffly. He started brushing soot off of Hailey's arms, so forcefully; he nearly knocked her into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary. "Skulkin' round Knockturn Alley, I dunno—dodgy place, Hailey—don' want no one ter see yeh down there—"

Hailey looked at him, "I realized _that_." She moved out of the way before Hagrid made to brush more soot off of her arms. "I told you, I was lost—" she brushed some soot off of her skirt and looked at Hagrid. "What were _you_ doing down there, anyway?"

" _I_ was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," Hagrid answered. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"

Hailey shook her head, "I'm staying with the Weasleys, but we got separated. I need to find them." They started walking down the street together.

"How come yeh never wrote back ter me?" Hagrid asked, as Hailey jogged alongside him and explained what happened with Dobby and the Dursleys.

"Lousy Muggles," Hagrid growled out, "If I'd've known—"

"Hailey! Hailey! Over here!"

Hailey turned around to see Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts. Hermione ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her, as she asked, "What happened to you? Hello, Hagrid—Oh, it's _wonderful_ to see you two again—Are you coming into Gringotts, Hailey?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," Hailey replied. She grabbed the edges of her skirt and looked down at the soot. She wondered if someone might confuse her for a Hufflepuff.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said, grinning.

The two girls looked around: sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr Weasley.

"I knew I saw that familiar ghastly skirt," Fred said.

"Hailey," Mr Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate to far…" He mopped at the bald patch. "Molly's frantic—she's coming now—"

Ron looked at Hailey, "Where did you come out?"

"Knockturn Alley," Hagrid answered for Hailey, sounding grim.

" _Excellent!_ " Fred and George chorused together.

"We've never been allowed in," Ron told Hailey enviously.

"I should ruddy think not," Hagrid said sternly.

Mrs Weasley came running into view, her handbag swinging wildly from one hand while Ginny clung onto the other. "Oh, Hailey—oh, my dear—you could have been anywhere—" She was gasping for breath and pulled a kerchief from her bag and started wiping soot off of Hailey's face.

"Well, gotta be off," Hagrid said as he was having his hand wrung by Mrs Weasley, who stopped trying to wipe soot off of Hailey's face.

"Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found her, Hagrid!" Mrs Weasley said.

"See yeh at Hogwarts!" Hagrid called and strode away.

The Weasleys, Hailey, and Hermione started walking up the steps to Gringotts.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Hailey questioned Ron and Hermione.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Malfoy and his father," Hailey told him.

"Did Mr Malfoy Malfoy buy anything?" Mr Weasley asked sharply from behind them.

Hailey looked over at him, confused, "No, he was selling—"

"So, he's worried," Mr Weasley cut in, with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Mr Malfoy Malfoy for something."

"You be careful, Arthur," Mrs Weasley told him sharply. They were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. She continued, "That family's trouble. Don't go biting off more than you can chew."

"So, you don't think I'm a match for Mr Malfoy Malfoy?" Mr Weasley asked indignantly.

From experience, Hailey knew that some guys hated someone insulting their fighting skills. Granted, Dudley and his gang didn't use her as a punching bag, but she did get shoved around by them. She noticed that Mr Weasley had became distracted by Hermione's parents.

"But you're _Muggles_!" Mr Weasley said, delighted. "We must have a drink! What's you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He was pointing at the ten-pound notes in Mr Granger's hand. Mr Weasley was looking excited.

"Meet you back here." Ron told Hermione as the Weasleys and Hailey were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.

When they got in a goblin-driven cart, Hailey enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys' vault, but felt terrible when the Weasleys' vault opened. It gave her a worse feeling than being in Knockturn Alley, because she noticed that there was a small pile of silver Sickles and only one lone gold Galleon. She considered asking if Mr and Mrs Weasley wanted to borrow some of her money, but she was positive that they would've felt insulted instead. She watched as Mrs Weasley swept all of the money in her bag.

When they reached her vault, she felt even worse after seeing the Weasley vault. She tried to block the contents from view with her body as she hastily shoved a few handfuls of coins into a leather pouch.

When they got outside the bank, Percy muttered something about needing a new quill, Fred and George spotted Lee Jordan, Mrs Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop, and Mr Weasley insisted on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Mrs Weasley had told them that they all should meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy schoolbooks, and told Fred and George not to go down Knockturn Alley.

Hailey, Ron, and Hermione strolled along the winding, cobbled street.

The gold, silver, and bronze coins were jangling in the leather pouch that was in Hailey's messenger bag, which Hailey wanted to spend. She bought three large strawberry and peanut butter ice creams, which they ate happily as they wandered the alley, examining the objects in shop windows.

Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, until Hermione had to drag him away so they can buy ink and parchment next door.

They walked in Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, where they met up with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. George told them that they were stocking up on stuff like Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, and No-Heat Fireworks.

In a tiny junk shop, Hailey had looked at broken wands, lopsided brass scales, and old cloaks covered in potion stains. She saw Percy reading a book called _Prefects Who Gained Power_ and in her opinion, looked boring.

Ron squinted at the back cover, " _A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers_." He looked at Hailey, "that sounds _fascinating_."

"Go away," Percy snapped at them.

Hailey narrowed her eyes at Percy and was ready to say something, but Ron led her away, with Hermione following.

"'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out. He wants to be Minister of Magic," Ron told them.

Hailey considered the possibility of the Sorting Hat considered putting Percy in Slytherin for ambition, but that idea seemed ridiculous. Maybe the Sorting Hat considered putting Percy in Ravenclaw, but she wasn't sure either. There was the whole possibility that he was in there for bravery and because most of his family was in there.

* * *

An hour later, they headed to Flourish and Blotts. When they approached it, there was a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in.

Hailey saw a large banned stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autobiography

 _MAGICAL ME_

Today at 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hailey was a little excited at the idea of meeting Gilderoy Lockhart, only because he was in Ravenclaw as well and he had a lot of books written. She didn't really read the books that Mrs Weasley had laying around, but it would be interesting.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed, "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Hailey noticed that the crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches round Mrs Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, "Calmly, please, ladies. Don't push; there…mind the books, now."

The three squeezed inside to see that there was a long line winding right to be back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr and Mrs Granger.

"Oh, there you are, good." Mrs Weasley said in what seemed to a breathless tone. She was patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute."

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view. He was seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd. The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that matched his eyes, in the exact shade of his robes. His pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.

Hailey's breath caught in her throat as she realized that he was better-looking in person and she felt her face warm up at the thought.

A short, irritable-looking man was dancing round taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash. "Out of the way, there, this is for the _Daily Prophet_ —" he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot.

"Hey!" Hailey shouted at him. "You could say please!"

"Don't worry about it," Ron said. He was rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

"It's still rude and he should apologize for stepping on your foot," Hailey said. She looked at the photographer and said, loudly, "He doesn't have to be an arse about it!" She glared at the photographer, who ignored her in favour of getting more photographs of Lockhart, who glanced up at the loud tone. He saw Ron and then he saw Hailey.

Lockhart stared and then he leapt to his feet. He had a positive tone when he shouted, "It _can't_ be Hailey Potter!"

 _Oh, my god,_ Hailey thought, feeling her face heat up when the crowd parted. She heard excited whispers and to her horror, Lockhart dived forward. Lockhart grabbed her arm and he pulled her to the front. He nearly sent her sprawling to the floor because she had been caught off guard. She was mortified when the crowd suddenly burst into applause and she felt her face grow hotter as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer. The photographer was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smile, Hailey," Lockhart said through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

Hailey got a sick feeling in her stomach at hearing that. If they really did make the front page, she would dig a hole, eat one of Dudley's old socks in there, and then die. He finally let go of her hand and she wiggled her fingers trying to get feeling back in them. She tried to walk slowly back to the Weasleys, but Lockhart proceeded to throw an arm round her shoulder and clamped her tightly to his side.

 _Am I in hell? This is what hell must feel like._ She thought and considered if it would be front page worthy if that annoying photographer got a picture of her hitting Lockhart in the stomach with one of Lockhart's books.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart said, loudly while waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!"

 _Oh, my god,_ Hailey thought, getting a sick feeling again.

Lockhart continued, "When young Hailey here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography—which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge—"

Hailey tried to say 'no' but she couldn't find her voice because the crowd was applauding again. The embarrassment was silencing her.

"—She had _no idea_ ," Lockhart continued, giving Hailey a little shake. "That she would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, _Magical Me_. Her and her schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September; I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

Hailey nearly dropped her _Standard Book of Spells_ in horror at the thought. While the crowd cheered and clapped, Hailey found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. She staggered under the weight; she managed to make her way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny was standing next to her battered looking cauldron.

She dropped the books in the cauldron, disgusted at herself for thinking that Lockhart was good-looking, because that git was annoying. "Here, you can have these. I'd rather buy my own."

"Thanks," Ginny said sounding appreciative.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" a voice asked with disgust.

Hailey wondered if she would knock the photograph of her and Lockhart off the front page, if the photographer managed to get a picture of her punching Malfoy in the face. She rolled her eyes and turned to come face-to-face with Malfoy, who had his usual sneer in place.

" _Famous_ Hailey Potter can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page," Malfoy sneered.

Hailey glared at him, "would you just sod off and leave me alone?"

"Yeah, she obviously didn't want all that!" Ginny shouted, glaring at Malfoy.

Malfoy sneered, "I see you have your own fan-club already filled with filthy blood-traitors, half-bloods, and Mudbloods."

Ginny's face turned red. Hermione and Ron appeared, after fighting their way over.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy. "Bet you're surprised to see Hailey, here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will have to go hungry for a month to pay for all these." He gestured to the books and Ron's face went as red as Ginny's.

The silver snake of a walking stick appeared on Draco's shoulder. Mr Malfoy said, "now, now, Draco. Play nicely." He looked at Hailey, "Miss Potter." He introduced himself, "Mr Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last. Forgive me." Hailey was confused and the silver snake pulled back her bangs, revealing the scar. "Your scar is legend. As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you."

Hailey stated firmly, "Voldemort killed my parents and who knows how many other families he killed. He's nothing more than a murderer."

Mr Malfoy seemed thoughtful, "hmm. You must be very brave to mention his name." He eyed her, "or very foolish."

Hermione piped up, "fear of a name only increased fear of the thing itself."

Mr Malfoy looked at her, with disgust, "And you must be…Miss Granger. Yes, Draco's told me all about you…and your parents." He glanced at the Grangers, who were still talking with Mr Weasley. "Muggles aren't they?"

Hailey was wondering what this was supposed to prove and then wondered if this was supposed to embarrass all of them.

Luicus looked at Ron and Ginny, "let me see. Red hair, vacant expressions…" He reached into Ginny's cauldron and looked at a book, before sticking it back. "Tatty, secondhand book." He smiled coldly, "You must be the Weasleys."

Mr Weasley walked over and Hailey can tell that he was trying to ignore Mr Malfoy, "Children. It's mad in here. Let's go outside."

"Yes, please," Hailey said thankful.

"Well, well, well. Weasley Senior," Mr Malfoy drawled.

Arthur looked at him, "Mr Malfoy."

Mr Malfoy asked, "Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur? All those extra raids; I do hope they're you overtime." He picked up one of Ginny's books again, which was _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguaration._ "Though judging by the state of this, I'd say not. What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard…if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Hailey was going to say something scathing, like, "with your attitude, you're the one disgracing the name of wizardkind," but Mr Weasley said, "we have a _very_ different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."

Mr Malfoy eyed him, "clearly." He looked at Hermione's parents. "Associating with Muggles…And I thought your family could sink no lower."

It looked like everything went to slow motion as Mr Weasley threw himself at Mr Malfoy, knocking him backwards into a bookshelf. Hailey watched as dozens of spellbooks thundered down on their heads.

Fred or George was yelling, "Get him, Dad!"

A girl was shouting, eagerly, "Kick his arse Mr Weasley!" and then Hailey realized that it was coming from her.

Mrs Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"

The crowd surged backwards, knocking more shelves over.

"Gentlemen, please—please!" the assistant cried.

"Break it up, there, gents, break it up!" a voice louder than all said gruffly.

Hagrid was wading toward them through the sea of books. He had pulled Mr Malfoy and Mr Weasley apart. Mr Weasley had a cut on his lip and Mr Malfoy's eye looked like it was going to be bruised because some book had hit him in the eye. He thrust Ginny's Transfiguration book at her. "Here, girl—take your book—it's the best your father can give you—" He pulled himself from Hagrid's grip and glared at Mr Weasley. "I'll see you at work." He beckoned to Draco who went to stand next to him.

"See you at school," Draco sneered, before the two Malfoys left.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," Hagrid said, almost lifting Mr Weasley off his feet as he straightened his robes. "Rotten ter the core, the whole, everyone knows that—no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter—bad blood, that's what it is—come on now—let's get outta here."

They left the book shop and Mrs Weasley was beside herself with anger. "A _fine_ example to set for your children… _brawling_ in public…what Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought—"

"He was pleased," Fred interrupted. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from the Daily Prophet if he'd be able to work the fight into his report—said it was all publicity."

They headed back to the Leaky Cauldron fireside which they were supposed to use to go back to the Burrow. She took a pinch of Floo powder and she decided that it wasn't her favorite way to travel by.

* * *

A/N: The candle, Lovely Nightshade is made up by me.

I got the idea from reading up deadly nightshade, or Atropa belladona or belladonna, which is actually toxic if you _eat_ the foliage or berries. It was used as poison arrows. So I figure, if there's poisonous candles, why not make a candle with belladonna, if it had been used as poison at one point in time? Although it would probably be make the person go through horrific hallucinations and delirium. It was also used as cosmetics. However, the idea is that it's being used as a poisonous candle.


	5. The Whomping Willow

A/N: Many thanks to gaywhovian93 for the creation of Colton Taylor. I hope I wrote him to your liking.

The face-claim to Mandy is Chloë Moretz.

* * *

The end of the summer holiday came to quickly in Hailey's opinion. Sure she was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts to see Michael, Mandy, and Hermione, but her month at the Burrow felt like one of the happiest summer holidays of her life. However, there were times when she felt jealous of Ron, because of his family. She knew that next year, she wasn't going to have a warm welcome like Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Ginny will have.

On their last evening, Mrs Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Hailey's favourite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off with the evening with a display of Filibuster Fireworks. Red and blue stars filled the kitchen, which bounced off the ceiling and wall for thirty minutes.

In the midst of all that, Hailey had decided to wear her Invisibility Cloak to sneak up on Fred and George just to see how high they would jump. They didn't jump, but they did turn around quickly and figured out that it was Hailey.

She let Ron wear the Invisibility Cloak and it took a little bit longer to get it back because Ron was having fun wearing it.

After that, Mrs Weasley had made them hot chocolate and it was time for bed.

* * *

The next morning, they were up at dawn and it was quite hectic. Mrs Weasley was in a bad mood as she dashed about, looking for spare socks and quills. People ran up and down half-dressed and holding toast. Somehow, Hailey nearly got thrown over the railing by Percy, who was charging up the staircase like some sort of raging bull. He did throw a "Sorry" over his shoulder.

Hailey watched as Mr Weasley nearly trip over a chicken while he carried Ginny's trunk. This time, when Mr Weasley had carried Hailey's trunk to the car, she tried to figure out how eight people, six large trunks, a few broomsticks, two owls, and a pet rat was going to fit in one small Ford Anglia. It dawned on her that a wizard had the car; of course it was enhanced to make everything fit.

"Not a word to Molly," Mr Weasley whispered to Hailey.

Hailey nodded and smiled. "I won't tell. It's not my secret to tell." Besides, no one liked snitches and she wasn't a snitch.

At last, Ron, Hailey, Fred, George, and Percy were all seated in the backseat, while Mrs Weasley, Ginny, and Mr Weasley were seated in the front.

Hailey couldn't help but glance back at the Burrow, wondering when she might return, but George had forgotten his fireworks.

George had to climb over Percy to go inside, knocking Percy's glasses off. Hailey grabbed the glasses from the floorboard to retrieve them before George came back and stepped on them. Five minutes later, they were back again, before Fred forgot his broomstick. After that they were finally on the road.

Hailey was trying to read a Gilderoy Lockhart book to see why he assigned all of his books for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Fred seemed to be getting a bit of revenge by covering the pages with his hands and once even took the entire book away from her and closed it on the page she was reading. She had to hit Fred in the arm with her book, before finding the page she was on.

Fred groaned, "Oh, please don't tell me you fancy Lockhart too?"

"Don't be ridiculous Fred," Mrs Weasley piped up from the front.

"I don't," Hailey responded. "I'm trying to figure out why he assigned his books to us."

She looked to see that they were almost at the highway when Ginny suddenly shrieked, "I forgot my diary."

Before Hailey could reply that Mr and Weasley can always owl it to her, Mr Weasley turned the car around and they had to go back to the Burrow.

By the time Ginny got back in the car, Mr Weasley looked at his watch and said, "Molly, dear—"

Mrs Weasley interrupted, " _No_ , Arthur—"

Arthur continued, "No one would see—this little button here is an Invisibility Booster I installed—that'd get us up in the air—then we'll fly above the clouds. We'd be there in ten minutes and no one would be any wiser—"

Molly interrupted again, "I said _no_ , not in broad daylight—"

They reached King's Cross at a quarter till eleven. Mr Weasley dashed across to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station.

"Percy first," Mrs Weasley said, glancing at the clock.

Hailey was already feeling nervous glanced at the clock too. They had five minutes to get onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. She watched as the second hand slowly made its way around the clock. She looked over to see that Fred and George were already heading to the barrier. Apparently Mr Weasley went after Percy.

"I'll take Ginny and you two come right after us," Mrs Weasley said, grabbing Ginny's hand. Ginny looked behind her and beamed at them before the two made their way to the barrier.

"Let's go together, we've only got a minute," Ron told her.

Hailey made sure that Hedwig was safely on top of the trunk and turned the trolley around to face the platform. She was feeling pretty confident because it wasn't Floo powder.

Together they walked toward the barrier and broke into a run and suddenly—

 _Crash!_

She hit the ground, hearing Hedwig's cage rattle and roll away with Hedwig shrieking indignantly. She heard Ron mutter, "Bloody hell."

A guard yelled, "What in blazes d'you think you're doing?"

Hailey clutched her ribs as she got up, "Lost control of the trolley, that's all." Ron handed Hedwig's cage to Hailey, who grabbed it. Hedwig kept screeching. "Do you know why we can't get through?" Hailey hissed at Ron, while trying to calm Hedwig down.

Ron looked wildly around, as if the surrounding crowd had the answer. "I dunno—" He looked at her, "We're going to miss the train. I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself—"

Hailey looked up at the clock, getting a sinking, nervous feeling.

 _Ten…nine…_

She grabbed her trolley and wheeled it around. She cautiously pushed against the barrier, but it remained solid. She looked at the clock again.

 _Three…two…one…_

Hailey slumped down onto the trolley and tried to quiet down Hedwig's screeches, again.

Ron looked stunned, "it's gone. The train's left. What if Mum and Dad can't get back to us? Have you got any Muggle money?"

Hailey slowly looked back at him and gave a forced laugh. "The Dursleys haven't given me pocket money in about six or seven years."

Ron pressed his ear against the barrier, "Can't hear a thing. What're we going to do? I don't know how long it'll take Mum and Dad to get back to us." He sounded tense, not that Hailey blamed him.

Hailey looked around; people were still watching them because Hedwig kept screeching. She shrugged, "I guess we can wait by the car. We're attracting too much att—"

"Hailey!" interrupted Ron; his eyes were gleaming, "The car!"

Hailey was confused, "What about the car?"

"We can fly the car to Hogwarts," Ron whispered to her, so the Muggles didn't hear.

Hailey was even more confused, "But I thought—"

"We're stuck, right?" Ron interrupted again, "And we've got to get school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction of Thingy—"

Hailey was positive that not getting on the Hogwarts Express didn't count as an emergency. She pushed against the barrier with her back, hoping to make it give way, but it didn't. She frowned, "But what about your Mum and Dad? How will they get back home?"

"They don't need the car!" Ron responded, sounding impatient. "They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and reappear at home! They only bother with Floo powder and the car because we're all underage and we're not allowed to Apparate yet…"

Hailey looked at him, "Do you even know how to fly it?"

"No problem," Ron responded, wheeling his trolley to the exit. "C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express—"

They went through the crowd of Muggles who stared after them. They went to the Ford Anglia and Ron tapped the boot of the car with his wand, several times. They heaved their luggage inside the boot of the car, and Hailey put Hedwig in the backseat of the car before getting in the front.

"Check that no one's watching." Ron said, starting the engine with a tap of his wand.

Hailey looked out the window to see that the traffic was rumbling along the main road, but their road was empty. She said, "okay," and looked forward. The car vanished before their eyes, and they did too. The car seat was vibrating beneath her, she could hear the engine, she could tell her hands where on her messenger bag strap, but for all she knew, she had probably became a pair of eyeballs floating a few feet above the ground in a street full of parked cars.

"Let's go," said Ron on her right.

The ground and the buildings on either side, fell away, dropping out of sight as the car rose; in seconds the whole of London lay, smoky and glittering, below them. She remembered something, "I think I read somewhere that the Great Smog of London killed twelve thousand people."

There was a loud popping sound, which caused Hailey to jump up in her seat and then she saw Ron.

"Uh-oh," muttered Ron as he jabbed at the Invisibility Booster. "It's faulty—"

Hailey reached over and repeatedly pushed the button, before Ron slapped her hand away, and he repeatedly pressed the button. Hailey slapped his hand away and said, "Hands on the wheel!" She repeatedly pressed the button. The car vanished, and then flickered back again. Hailey considered telling Ron to land so she can she figure out what to do.

"Hold on!" yelled Ron.

Hailey was going to say, "to what," but the car shot up into the low, woolly clouds, and everything turned dull and foggy. She asked, "Now what?" She was staring at the mass of cloud pressing in on them from all sides. She considered rolling down the window and sticking her hand out, just so she can know what it feels like. When she was younger, she used to imagine what clouds feel like. She thought that they would be like candy floss, like cotton, and then like a pillow. Of course, she figured it would be a mass of water drops.

"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," replied Ron.

"Dip back down again—quickly—" Hailey told him. They dropped back down beneath the clouds and Hailey twisted around in her seat, squinting. She saw the Hogwarts Express which was streaking along below them like a scarlet snake. She pointed at it, "There! I can see it!"

"Due north," Ron murmured. "Okay, we'll just have to check on it every half house or so—hold on—"

They shot back towards the clouds and a minute later, they burst out into a blaze of sunlight. The wheels of the car skimmed the sea of fluffy cloud, the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun, and Hailey couldn't help but think that it was a different world.

"All we've got to worry about airplanes," Ron said.

They looked at each other and busted out laughing; for a long time they couldn't stop.

She looked out the window again, at the swirls and turrets of snowy cloud, in a car full of hot, bright sunlight, and with a fat pack of toffees in the glove compartment, and she couldn't help but think that this was a way to travel. Although, deep down, she knew that something bad was going to happen. Hopefully Professor Dumbledore wouldn't be too harsh if they came onto Hogwarts grounds in a car.

Every now and then they made regular checks on the train as they flew farther and farther north, each dip beneath the clouds showing them a different view. London was replaced with neat green fields that gave way to wide, purplish moors, a great city alive with cars like multicolored ants, villages with tiny churches that looked like toys.

Somehow, she managed to fall asleep, despite the sunlight and heat.

* * *

She woke up because of a loud whining and she looked at Ron, confused.

"The car's probably just tired," Ron explained to her. "It's never been this far before…"

The stars were blossoming in the dark sky and Hailey pulled her sweater on already getting cold, regretting wearing a black undershirt. The windshield wipers were waving feebly at the drops of water. She asked, "How much farther?"

"Not far," Ron muttered, "Not far now."

A little while later, the car dove a little while later, they squinted through the darkness for a landmark they knew.

"There!" Hailey shouted, making Ron and Hedwig jump. She pointed at the silhouette of the many turrets and towers of Hogwarts, "straight ahead!" The car started to shudder and was beginning to lose speed. "Oh, crap," she muttered.

"Come on," Ron said, cajoling and giving the steering wheel a little shake. "Nearly there, come on—"

The engine groaned and narrow jets of steam were issuing from under the hood. Hailey gripped the edge of her seat very hard as they flew toward the lake. "Oh, god," she muttered, not wanting to drown.

The car gave a nasty wobble and Hailey looked out her window, seeing the smooth, black, glassy surface of the way, which was probably a mile below. Oddly enough, she was reminded of Michael's thalassophobia, which he got because he dragged underwater in a lake by a kelpie when he was younger. Of course, it probably didn't help that a giant squid resided in the lake.

"Come on," muttered Ron. They were right over the lake—the castle was right ahead—there was a loud clunk, a splutter, and the engine died completely. "Uh-oh."

"Understatement," Hailey responded, and covered her eyes with her hands. She knew they were falling and she heard Ron let out a long 'no.' She buried her face in her arms.

"Stop! Stop!" Ron yelled and she could hear him smacking things.

There was an earsplitting bang of metal on wood. She removed her face from her arms. They hit a thick tree trunk and they dropped to the ground with a heavy jolt. Hedwig was screeching in terror and she noticed steam was billowing from the crumpled hood. Ron let out a low despairing moan.

"Are you okay?" Hailey asked.

"My wand," replied Ron, in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand—"

Hailey looked over to see that it had almost snapped in two. The tip was dangling limply, held on by a few splinters. Before she could respond, something hit her side of the car, with the force of a charging bull. She was set sideways right into Ron, just as something equally heavy hit the roof, denting it.

Ron gasped, "What's happen—?" He stared out the windshield and Hailey looked round just in time to see a branch, as thick as a python, smash into it.

Finally it clicked in Hailey's mind and she managed to shout, "This is the Whomping Willow!" as the trees gnarled boughs pummeled every inch of the car it could reach.

"I'm glad to know what it's called, that's helpful!" A twisted limb punched a dent into his car door, causing to Ron either groan or scream. "What do we do to stop it?"

Hailey started to say, "I don't—" she was cut off, seeing that the windshield was now trembling under a hail of blows from knuckle-like twigs. Hailey was surprised that the windshield didn't break. A branch as thick as a battering ram pounding furiously on the roof, which Hailey thought seemed to be caving in.

"Run for it!" Ron shouted as he threw his full weight against the door, but Ron was thrown into her lap, because of a vicious uppercut from a branch. "We're done for!" he moaned, as the ceiling sagged.

Hailey was trying to remember the Freezing Charm she read, but Hedwig's screeching and the Whomping Willow hitting the car was tossing everything from mind. The car started vibrating, "Reverse! Put it—"

As if the car heard her, it shot backwards. The sound of creaking was heard as the tree almost ripped itself out of the earth, trying to hit them some more.

"That…was…close," panted Ron. "Well done, car—"

There were two sharp clunks, and the doors flew open. The seat tipped sideways and she fell onto the damp ground. There were two loud thuds, which told her that their luggage was ejected, as well. Hedwig's cage flew through the air and burst open. She rose out of it with an angry screech and sped off toward the castle.

The dented, scratched, steaming car sped off into darkness, with it rear lights blazing in an almost angry manner. Hailey wondered when the car learned how to drive on it's own.

"Come back, Dad'll kill me!" Ron shouted at the car.

The car disappeared with one last snort of exhaust, which Hailey figured that the car laughing at them. She looked at Ron and said, "I think the car is throwing a tantrum."

"Can you _believe_ our luck?" Ron asked, miserable. "Of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."

"It was the Whomping Willow," Hailey explained again. "They're very valuable and obviously _very_ violent."

"Well, what is it doing on school grounds?" Ron asked.

"I dunno," Hailey responded. "Come on; let's get up to the school…"

They seized the ends of their trunks and began dragging them up the grassy slope, toward the great oak front doors.

"I think the feast's already started," Ron said, dropping his trunk at the foot of the front steps and crossing quietly to look through a brightly lit window. "Hey—Hailey—come and look—it's the Sorting."

"You look, I think I need to sit down," Hailey muttered and went to sit on the steps.

Ron stared in the window. "Hang on…" He frowned, "I think I see an empty chair."

Hailey went over and looked in the window. She saw Gilderoy Lockhart wearing robes of aquamarine. She saw Hagrid drinking deeply from a goblet. "I think that's Snape's chair. I wonder what happened to him."

Ron looked hopeful, "Maybe he's _ill_!"

Hailey frowned, "I wouldn't be _that_ hopeful. Maybe he got transferred to a different school."

Ron seemed enthusiastic, "Maybe he got sacked! I mean, everyone hates him—"

"Or maybe, he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train," said a very cold voice right behind them. Hailey felt her blood run cold and turned around to face Snape. He had a smile on his face knowing that they were in trouble. "Follow me."

Hailey and Ron followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. She couldn't help but think about what might happen to her. Would she get expelled? What would the Dursleys think about it? Would they ship them off that night?

"In!" Snape ordered, opening a door.

They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things that Hailey didn't want to know the names of. The fireplace was dark and empty, reminding her of the shack on the rock in the middle of the sea, on her eleventh birthday. She could still hear Uncle Vernon's words, _"Since you're so damn smart, try starting a fire for us."_

"So," Snape started softly, "The train isn't good enough for the famous Hailey Potter and her faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a _bang_ , did we?"

Hailey started to explain, "No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it—"

"Silence!" said Snape coldly and Hailey flinched at the tone, reminded of her uncle's tone of voice he used repeatedly on her. "What have you done with the car?"

Ron gulped, and a moment later, Snape seemed to understand. Hailey had the feeling that Snape seemed to have the uncanny ability to read minds. Snape unrolled the day's issue of the _Evening Prophet_.

Hailey noticed the headline that read: _Flying Ford Anglia Mystifies Muggles._

"You were seen. Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Oficcer tower…at noon in Norfolk. Mrs Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing…Mr Angus Fleet of Pebbles, reported to police…Six or seven Muggles in all." He looked at Ron and smiled more nastily, "I believe _your_ father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office? Dear, dear…his own son…"

Hailey hated herself, for not thinking about what would happen to Mr Weasley if anyone found out that he bewitched the car. She felt guilty. They took her in and treated her as if she was one of their own, and she did this _to_ them? If she got Mr Weasley fired, she wouldn't blame them for not talking to her again.

"I notice, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," continue Snape.

Ron blurted out, "That tree did more damage to _us_ than we—"

" _Silence_!" snapped Snape again. "I assure you that were you in Slytherin and your fate rested with me that the both of you would be on the train home, _tonight_. Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who _do_ have that happy power. You will wait here." With that, Snape left the office.

Hailey and Ron looked at each other. Ron was pale and Hailey felt extremely sick. If Snape went to get Professor Flitwick, she wasn't sure what he would do. Last year, Michael had to go see him for being out of bed at night, yet he got detention by Professor Flitwick. So he might be fairer than Professor McGonagall, who was very strict, but fairer than Professor Snape. She wasn't entirely sure about Professor Dumbledore.

Snape returned with Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. Hailey had seen Professor McGonagall angry before on some occasions, but she couldn't recall McGonagall looking that angry before. Flitwick was looking at her in a manner of concern and slight anger.

Professor McGonagall held up her wand, and the two second years flinched, but she merely pointed her wand at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.

"Sit," McGonagall ordered and they backed up into chairs by the fire, "Explain."

Ron launched into an explanation of what happened, finishing off with how they had no choice because they couldn't get on the train.

McGonagall looked at Hailey and asked coldly, "Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe _you_ have an owl?"

Hailey blinked at her, "I—I didn't consider it—"

"That is obvious," McGonagall replied.

There was a knock on the door and Snape, now looking happier than ever, opened it.

Professor Dumbledore stood there, looking unusually grave and Hailey chose to stare at the rip in the knee on her trousers, which was there when she looked through the rubbish bag.

Dumbledore, with a tone of disappointment, said, "Please explain why you did it."

Hailey really hated hearing that disappointment in Dumbledore's voice. She didn't want to see the disappointment in his eyes as she explained what happened, but tried to word it to where it seemed like they came across a flying car, instead of saying it was Mr Weasley's. She didn't want Ron's dad to get in more trouble than he already was, because of them. Surprisingly Dumbledore didn't ask about the car and she kept her head down.

"We'll go and get our stuff," Ron said, almost helplessly. Hailey wanted to reach over and grab his shoulder in a comforting manner, but her hand stayed still on her knee.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" Professor McGonagall barked out.

"Well, you're both expelling us, aren't you?" Ron asked.

Hailey glanced up at Dumbledore and at Professor Flitwick, who looked slightly disappointed. She looked down at the rip in the knee again.

"Not today, Mr Weasley," said Dumbledore. Hailey wondered when they were going to get expelled. "But I must impress upon both of you, the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."

Hailey nodded, showing her understanding of what Dumbledore said. She hated herself. She was a Ravenclaw, a House known for smartness, but she acted like an idiot by not contacting them?

Snape cleared his throat, "Professor Dumbledore, these two have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree—surely acts of this nature—"

Hailey looked up at the professors.

"It will be up for Professors McGonagall and Flitwick to decide their punishments, Severus," Dumbledore responded calmly. "Miss Potter is in Professor Flitwick's Hosue and Mr Weasley in Professor McGonagall's House. It is their responsibility." He turned to Professors McGonagall and Flitwick. "I must get back to the feast, Minerva and Filius, I've got to give a few notices." He turned to Snape. "Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample—"

Snape looked at the two second years with hatred, before being led out by Dumbledore, while Flitwick and McGonagall looked at them.

"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding," McGonagall said.

Ron wiped at a cut on his temple. "Not much. Professors, I wanted to watch my sister being Sorted—"

"The Sorting Ceremony is over," Professor McGonagall stated. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."

"Oh, good," Ron said and Hailey and Professor Flitwick looked at him sharply. Hailey tried to tell herself that Ron was probably glad that Ginny wasn't Sorted into Slytherin.

Professor McGonagall said, sharply, "And speaking of Gryffindor—"

"Professor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so—so Gryffindor and Ravenclaw really shouldn't really get points taken from them—should it?" Hailey cut in, watching the two professors anxiously. She noticed how Professor Flitwick seemed to smile at that.

"I will not take any points from Gryffindor. As for Ravenclaw, that is up to Professor Flitwick to decide," McGonagall said at last. "However, Weasley will get a detention."

"I won't take any points from Ravenclaw." Flitwick said and looked thoughtful, "I think two detentions will be fit for Miss Potter."

"I've got to learn my lesson somehow," Hailey responded, shrugging.

"Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to the feast." Professor Flitwick said and left Snape's office.

Professor McGonagall raised her wand and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared on the desk with a pop. She said, "You two will eat in here and then both of you go straight to your dormitories. I must also return to the feast." With that, she left the office.

As soon as the door closed, Ron let out a long, low whistle. He grabbed a sandwich and said, "I thought we'd had it."

Hailey took one too, "Me too." She relaxed and took a bite.

"Can you believe our luck, though?" Ron asked, through a mouthful of chicken and ham. "Fred and George must've flow that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw _them_." Hailey poured herself some pumpkin juice. " _Why_ couldn't we get through the barrier?"

Hailey was wondering that too. "I don't know. We'll have to watch our step from now on, though." She wished to go to the feast to see Michael and Mandy, but she figured that this was a punishment. "You know, the Dursleys would be mad that I didn't get squashed by the Whomping Willow. I'm sure that my aunt and uncle would write to Dudley to tell them about it. I'm sure that Dudley would find it hilarious that I almost got beaten up by a tree."

"Getting beat up by a tree is kind of funny." Ron muttered and they two burst out laughing, relieved that they didn't get expelled.

After eating as much sandwiches as she can, even though the plate kept refilling itself, they both went separate ways to their respective Houses.

In a way, Hailey wished she could've been Sorted into Gryffindor, so she didn't have to walk alone and be in the House her parents were in, but that was life. From what she learned from the Dursleys was that, life was vastly unfair.

She climbed up the winding, tight staircase, before arriving at the door, which was now closing. She managed to slip inside before the door closed. She noticed that three first year boys stopped their conversation and stared at her. She could've sworn one boy whisper, "she's hotter in person," to another. She ignored that and looked around the common room.

It was a wide, airy, circular room. The walls were punctured with graceful arched windows that had a nice view of the mountains, Forbidden Forest, Great Lake, and the Qudditch pitch. The walls were hung with blue and bronze silks. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, which was reflected on the midnight-blue carpet. There were tables, chairs, and bookcases. In a niche opposite the door was a marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw. The door to the dormitories was beside Rowena Ravenclaw's statue.

She was making her to the statue when a sandy-blond haired boy with glasses and wearing a black kilt walked up to her, seeming a little excited.

"Hailey Potter, I'm Colton Taylor," said the boy with a Scottish accent. He held out his hand to Hailey.

Hailey was unsure if he was an admirer of hers, considering the group of first years that stared at her. She shook his hand, "Hi."

Colton was now smiling widely. "I must say, I highly admire that you flew a car all the way to Hogwarts. It was a very creative thing to do."

"Er…thanks," Hailey responded, at a loss for words. She was expecting to be looked down on by older Ravenclaws for it.

"When I heard the rumours of you flying a car to Hogwarts, I didn't think anything of it, but then I heard that you were in Ravenclaw, I was intrigued. My mum says that your parents were in Gryffindor. Of course, it's not really a shock to go in a different House. My mum and my aunt, Alice, were separated even though they were twins. Aunt Alice went to Gryffindor and my mum went to Ravenclaw," Colton explained.

Hailey nodded, and from the corner of her eye, she noticed the three first-year boys were still staring at her. "Padma and her twin sister, Parvati, went to separate Houses. Did your mum meet your dad in Ravenclaw or was he in a different House?" She noticed how Colton's eyes stayed focused on her face and didn't look anywhere else.

"My dad's a Muggle. She met him at a Caber toss game when she went to watch the Highland games, on her way to a duel," Colton explained.

Hailey was confused, "Your mother was going to a duel?"

"Well, it was more like for fun, not to kill. She's reining champion," Colton explained, quite proudly. "She taught me everything she knows."

Hailey nodded, "That's nice of her. How did your dad react to her being a witch?"

"Oh, he loved her more. Sometimes he reads her old spellbooks," Colton said.

"Your dad did Caber tossing?" Hailey asked, trying to picture it. She couldn't.

"He's Scottish. It's why I'm wearing a kilt instead of trousers," Colton said, motioning to the kilt.

Hailey nodded, not sure what to say to that, "Okay. More power to you."

A straggly blonde haired girl walked up to them. She had a look on her face that she was surprised and she was wearing a cork necklace. She looked at Colton, "it's your turn to look in the boys' dorms. The Blibbering Humdinger weren't in the girls' dorms." She had a serene type of voice and she looked at Hailey. "Who's your friend, Colton?"

"This is Hailey," Colton said to the blonde girl. He turned to Hailey, "Hailey, this is my friend, Luna."

Luna shook Hailey's hand, "Hailey Potter nice to meet you. Have you heard of the rumour that Gilderoy Lockhart really is Malachi Lovelace?"

"I—I have no clue who Malachi Lovelace is," Hailey responded, confused.

"Malachi Lovelace was one of my favorite mystery writers who went missing a decade ago when he took a trip to the Himalayas," Colton said. "Although, I highly doubt that Lockhart really did all those things that he's saying. Their writing style is quite similar, though."

Hailey nodded, "I'll—I'll keep an eye on him. I better get up to the dorm."

She went to the door and opened it; she looked at the fourteen different doors and two sets of stairs that were going in a spiral pattern. A sign above the first two doors said: _Seventh Year Ravenclaw Boys_ and _Seventh Year Ravenclaw Girls_. The room above the seventh year ones was _Sixth Year Ravenclaw Boys_ and _Sixth Year Ravenclaw Girls_. At the very top it said: _First Year Ravenclaw Boys_ and _First Year Ravenclaw Girls_. She saw the door that led to the second year girls. Rowena Ravenclaw had thought it would be fair to both genders, if boys weren't allowed on the girls' staircase and vice versa.

She went up the staircase, still thinking about Colton, maybe he wasn't into girls. She opened the door to the dorm and saw Mandy, Padma, and Sue Li. Lisa Turpin must've been in the lavatory, which was off to the side.

Mandy's blonde hair was now almost waist-length and was in spiral curls. She was wearing a black, plastic headband, which Mandy seemed to be obsessed with. She walked over and punched Hailey in the shoulder twice.

"What was that for?" Hailey asked, confused.

"That was for flying a car to Hogwarts. Really? Flying a car? The second one is for causing to Michael to think you stopped being his friend. He was kind of torn up about it." Mandy snarled and then hugged Hailey tightly. "This is for not getting killed by the Whomping Willow."

"I missed you, too," Hailey responded a bit confused, and noticed that they were about the same height now.

* * *

A/N: I just made up Malachi Lovelace.

Also, the three first-year boys will outgrow their crushes on Hailey, so don't worry.

Again, many thanks to gaywhovian93 for the creation of Colton Taylor. Again, I hope I wrote him to your liking, so far.


	6. Gilderoy Lockhart

A/N: Since it's my birthday today, I decided to post this chapter a little early.

Edit: It was November 27th at the time of posting.

The face-claim to Michael is Max Burkholder.

* * *

Hailey and Mandy walked into the common room. Well, Hailey was trying to find Michael, who wasn't in there and Mandy was busy gushing about Gilderoy Lockhart, as she adjusted a blue and bronze plastic headband. "Have you read Gilderoy Lockhart's books? He's done all these amazing things. I think my favorite is when he spent an entire year with an yeti."

Colton was wearing a blue and bronze kilt. Hailey also couldn't help but notice he had a calf-sheath around his right calf, to hold his wand. Colton seemed to have heard Mandy as he said, "If Lockhart really did all those things, I'll snog Luna, but that's never going to happen, because I'm gay." He sounded like he was going to laugh at the thought of snogging Luna.

Mandy held her headband above her head as she stared at Colton, one eye half-closed. She said, slowly, "Oh…Kay…?"

Hailey noticed that second-year, Stephen Cornfoot, looked over, both eyebrows raised, as if thinking, _"what?"_

Hailey thought that Stephen was good-looking, with a sort of skater-boy, punk-rock type of look. He had shaggy black hair and a silver eyebrow piercing. He had a red and black studded wristband on his left wrist, and one his right, he had a black and white studded wristband. She figured that he was a Muggle-born because of the eyebrow piercing, which wasn't there last term, now that she thought about it. Aunt Petunia would've had a heart-attack if she saw that on Stephen's face. She knew that if Dudley or, at least, a member of his gang would probably literally rip out Stephen's eyebrow piercing, if they saw it.

"I read all of Lockhart's books." Colton continued causally, as if he didn't reveal something that was probably personal to complete strangers. "Something about that guy is really off."

Hailey frowned at that, as she did read all of Lockhart's books too, but she didn't see anything that would be off about him. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Something about Lockhart seems…to perfect," Colton said.

"So, what you're saying is never trust a good-looking guy?" Mandy asked right as Michael Corner walked up to them.

"I never said _that_ ," Colton said, eyeing Michael as if he was some type of perfect specimen. Michael stared back at Colton, confused, probably wondering why Colton was looking at him like that.

Luna walked up from behind Michael, her wand behind her left ear, and she was wearing a cork necklace. She said, "Let's go, Colton. If we hurry we might be able to make it in time for breakfast and get a copy of the Quibbler." The two first years went outside the common room.

"I like him. He seems nice," Mandy said looking after the two first years.

"Was she wearing a cork necklace?" Michael asked confused.

"I think so," Mandy replied, readjusting the headband before settling on it.

"Do you think if I asked nicely, she would give me one?" Michael asked smiling, before hugging Hailey, which she awkwardly returned. She hugged him once, last term, before she went to face Voldemort. That was when she noticed that he was now about the same height as Ron. She removed herself from the hug.

"If you wear that, I will spit on your grave," Hailey responded, before they left the common room.

"I would be honoured to have you spit on my grave," Michael responded sounding sarcastic.

They made it to the Great Hall and sat down at their table, which was next to Gryffindor's table. Ron and Hermione were sitting down in the seat, their backs to Ravenclaw, which Hailey took as them "sitting" with Ravenclaw. Hermione had a Lockhart book propped up against a milk jug. Neville was sitting with Ron and Hermione.

Hailey ended up right next to Colton and Michael was right next to her. Mandy had to stop and hug Ron before sitting down next to Michael. It looked like Ron was using some Spellotape on his broken wand.

"Mail's due any minute—I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot," she heard Neville say.

Hailey was eating the porridge when there was a rushing sound overhead and hundreds of owls or so streamed in.

A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and Hailey could've sworn she heard Colton ask, "What did Gran send you?"

Hailey heard Dean Thomas ask, "Ron? Is that your owl?" She turned around to see Errol flying towards the Gryffindor table with a red letter.

She turned round to watch Errol crashed into a bowl of crisps, knocking them all over the table. She heard the Slytherins laugh and she watched as Ron nervously picked up the red letter. Errol flew off.

"That bloody bird's a menace," Ron muttered and looked at the letter, "Oh, no."

"Look, everyone! Weasley's got himself a Howler!" Seamus Finnigan announced.

Hailey glared at him and noticed how Neville looked uneasy. Neville whispered something to Ron, but she wasn't sure what he said.

"Neville got one from Gran, once. He didn't open it and it was really horrible." Colton whispered to Luna, who picked up a magazine that fell in front of them.

"You know Neville's family?" Hailey asked confused.

"Neville's my cousin," Colton responded.

There was a huge roar that seemed to fill the Great Hall.

"Ronald Weasley!" Mrs Weasley's voice echoed in the hall. "How dare you steal that car? I am absolutely disgusted! Your father's now facing an inquiry at work and it's entirely you fault! If you put another toe out of line, we'll bring you straight home!" The Howler turned to Ginny. "Oh, and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud." The Howler blew a raspberry at Ron and then it ripped itself into tiny pieces.

"Hmm," Colton said, thoughtful. "The one Gran sent Neville turned to ash when he got it."

Neville looked over at Colton, "It was still horrible either way, Colton." Colton made a face like he agreed with Neville's assessment.

Professor Flitwick walked by, passing out course schedules to the Ravenclaw. Hailey took hers and noticed that they had Herbology with Gryffindor first, not that she was complaining.

After the Gryffindors got their schedules, the five plus Neville hurried across the lawn to join up with joined the other Gryffindors and Ravenclaws outside the greenhouses.

"What do you think the lesson is going to be about? Hopefully it's better than the Devil's Snare," Anthony Goldstein said to Michael. Hailey remembered her and Michael's up close and personal experience with the Devil's Snare last term.

Before Michael could reply, Professor Sprout, arms full of bandages came striding over. Hailey noticed the Whomping Willow in the distance, its branches now in slings and she felt guilty. Her guilt turned to annoyance when she spotted Lockhart, in turquoise robes, following Professor Sprout.

"Don't make that face," Mandy said to Hailey, who was making a really disgusted face.

He noticed the gathered students, "Oh, hello there. I've been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is!"

Michael leaned over to whisper to Hailey, "If he really does know that, I would go skinny dipping in the Great Lake."

Hailey had no clue how to respond to that, because he must've been serious, considering his thalassophobia and that there was a giant squid in there.

Stephen Cornfoot, who was standing nearby, said, "if he did that, I would snog that one girl who works in my parents' store. She drools a lot."

Hailey had no clue how to even respond to _that_ other than being disgusted.

"Greenhouse Three today, chaps!" Professor Sprout said looking disgruntled.

Mandy looked excited and grabbed Ron's arm. "That's where the _dangerous_ plants are!"

Hailey heard Neville let a cross between a whimper and moan. From what she knew, Neville was extremely accident prone.

"It'll be all right, Neville," Hermione said trying to soothe Neville's worries.

After Professor Sprout unlocked the greenhouse door, Hailey got a whiff of damp earth, fertilizer, and the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella sized flowers hanging from the ceiling. Hailey tried to rush inside the greenhouse with her friends, hoping not to be caught by Lockhart, but someone grabbed her arm.

"Hailey! I've been wanting a word—you don't mind if she's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?" Lockhart stated.

Professor Sprout scowled and Hailey knew that she did mind. Michael and Mandy both turned to face Lockhart.

"That's the ticket," Lockhart said, closing the greenhouse door in their faces. Hailey almost whimpered at being left alone with Lockhart. "Hailey, Hailey, Hailey, Hailey," Lockhart shook his head and his large white teeth were gleaming in the sunlight.

Hailey imagined putting her fist into his mouth. _That was violent,_ Hailey thought, a little horrified at the thought.

"When I heard—well, of course, it was all my fault. Could have kicked myself," Lockhart said and Hailey was confused at what he was talking about. "Don't know when I've been more shocked. Flying a car to Hogwarts! Well, of course, I knew at once why you'd done it. Stood out a mile. Hailey, Hailey, _Hailey_. Gave you a taste for publicity, didn't I?" With that, Hailey tried to tune him out, but failed, since she heard Lockhart continue, "Gave you the bug. You got onto the front page of the paper with me and you couldn't wait to do it again."

Hailey tried to speak as calmly as possible through gritted teeth. "Not really, Professor. That was because—"

"Hailey, Hailey, Hailey," interrupted Lockhart, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder ignoring her protests. Hailey glared at Lockhart's hand. " _I understand_."

"Not really," Hailey muttered.

Lockhart continued, "natural to want a bit more once you've had that first taste—and I blame myself for giving you that, because it was bound to go to your head—"

Hailey scoffed, _I'm sure it went to_ your _head._ She tuned Lockhart out, watching him talk and tried to imagine what she would have for lunch and dinner that night.

Lockhart gave her a hearty wink before striding off. She glared at him before walking inside the greenhouse. She sat in between Ron and Michael.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" Professor Sprout asked.

Ten Ravenclaw hands and Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"Miss Granger," Professor Sprout called out.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state," explained Hermione.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrakes forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

Again, ten Ravenclaws raised their hands. Hermione's hand shot up in the air, almost backhanding Mandy in the face.

Hailey noticed that half of the Ravenclaws were stretching their hands, trying to get called on so they can earn points for Ravenclaw. Hailey also noticed that Ron was sitting there, like he just realized that he was friends with geeks.

"Mr Cornfoot," Professor called on Stephen.

"The cry on the Mandrake is fatal to anyone hears it." Stephen said, like he was trying to go for a bored tone, but the hint of excitement ruined it.

"Precisely. Ten points to Ravenclaw," Professor Sprout said. Hailey could've sworn she heard Neville whimper at what Stephen said. "Everyone take a pair of earmuffs."

There was a mad dash to the tray, where it seemed like everyone was trying to avoid getting the furry pink earmuffs. Michael ended up with the pink ones and Hailey grabbed the pink ones and handed him the green earmuffs. Michael smiled at her.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are _completely_ covered. When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up." Professor Sprout said, "Right—earmuffs on!"

Hailey put the earmuffs on and watched Professor Sprout put her earmuffs on too. Sprout rolled up the sleeves on her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and ugly baby popped out of the earth. He had pale green, mottled skin and had leaves growing out of his head.

Hailey jumped in her seat and somehow managed to grab Michael's wrist.

Professor Sprout grabbed a large pot and dunked the Mandrake into it, and poured compost over the Mandrake until only the leaves were visible. After that Sprout dusted her hands off, gave a thumbs-up, and removed her earmuffs. She frowned, "Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs."

Hailey and Seamus both looked over at Neville's prone form on the ground. Seamus said, "No, ma'am. He's just fainted."

Hailey wondered if she should tell Colton that his cousin fainted in Herbology but she decided to save Neville the embarrassment.

"Yes, well, just leave him there," Professor Sprout said. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young, their cries won't kill yet. However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place, while you work."

With that, earmuffs on, they were set loose on ripping Mandrakes out of the soil and repotting them. Michael had to help Hailey with her Mandrake, because hers was very fat and Michael had to help her squash it into a pot.

By the end of class, she was aching and covered in earth. They all had to rush for a quick wash, before heading to their next class.

They had Charms, where the Ravenclaws learned how to use the Freezing Charm, _Immobulus_.

After that, it was time for lunch. As they headed to the Great Hall, Mandy ran off because she needed to use the lavatory.

"What do you two have this afternoon?" Hailey asked, noticing how Ron was in a bad mood.

"We have Potions and then Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione said, looking at her schedule.

Ron took it and looked at it. " _Why_ have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"

Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously.

They went to the Great Hall to sit down and Mandy returned, looking a little pale.

After eating, they went outside to the courtyard.

"You all right, Mandy?" Hermione asked, looking at Mandy, who was still pale.

"I think the first floor girls' lavatory is haunted," Mandy blurted out.

Hailey was confused and asked, "the 'out of order' one?" She wondered why Mandy used that one and decided that she probably used it because it was the closest one.

"That's the one," Mandy responded.

"Why do you think it's haunted?" Ron asked confused.

"Do you know uncomfortable it is to pee when there's someone in the next stall, moaning?" Mandy asked him.

"My parents' bedroom is right next to the bathroom, and sometimes it's hard when you're trying to take a shower. It's probably not the same though," Michael responded and the other four stared at him.

Hailey looked away and noticed a small, mousy-haired boy, holding what looked like a Muggle camera.

The boy turned bright red and he took a tentative step forward. "All right, Hailey? I'm—I'm Colin Creevey. I'm in Gryffindor. D'you think—would it be alright if—can I have a picture." He sounded hopeful as he raised the camera.

Hailey stared at him blankly, "a picture?"

"So I can prove I've met you," Colin said, walking up to them. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead, and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll _move_." He took a shuddering breath. "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it's really be really good if I had one of you—" he looked imploringly at Hailey, "maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next you? And then, could you sign it?"

Hailey wondered why it seemed like everyone just had to tell her their life-story.

" _Signed photos?_ You're giving out _signed photos_ , Potter?" Malfoy asked in a loud and scathing voice. He shouted at the crowd, "everyone line up! Hailey Potter is handing out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not," Hailey said, making fists. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous," Colin piped up, as if that was supposed to help defend her.

Hailey was positive that Malfoy wasn't jealous, but angry that she turned down his friendship because he was insulting half-bloods and Ron, last term.

" _Jealous_?" Malfoy asked, "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting my head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle started sniggering, as if that was the funniest thing ever. Hailey was going to say that she heard better trash-talk from trash when Ron cut in with an angry, "eat slugs, Malfoy." Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in what he probably thought was a menacing manner

"Be careful, Weasley," Malfoy sneered. "You don't want to start any trouble or your mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "' _If you put another toe out of line_ '—"

A group of fifth year Slytherins busted out laughing at that.

Hailey noticed Lockhart striding over. "What's all this, what's all this. Who's giving out signed photos?"

"No one," Michael responded flatly, looking at Lockhart.

Lockhart flung his arm around Hailey's shoulders and sounded jovial, "I shouldn't have asked. We meet again, Hailey."

Michael looked disgruntled at being ignored by the professor. Hailey wanted to reassure that it was okay to be ignored; after all, that was her life with the Dursleys.

"Come on, Mr Creevey," said Lockhart beaming at Colin. "A double portrait can't do better than that, and we'll _both_ sign it for you." Colin fumbled for his camera and took a picture. The bell rang, signaling the start of afternoon classes. "Off you go, move along there." Hailey tried wiggling out from under Lockhart's arm to get to her friends, but he held on tightly. "A word to the wise, Hailey," Lockhart said, like he was trying to sound paternally, but in Hailey's opinion, it was falling flat. The only paternal figure she thought of was Mr Weasley. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey—if he was photographing me, too, your schoolmates won't think you're setting yourself up to much…"

"I didn't want him to take my picture and I sure as hell _wasn't_ going to sign it," Hailey spat out at him.

Deaf to that, Lockhart swept her down a corridor lined with staring students and up a staircase. "Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible—looks a tad bigheaded, Hailey, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but—" he gave a little chuckle, "I don't think you're quite there yet."

They finally reached Lockhart's class and Lockhart finally let go of her at last. Hailey straightened her robes before entering the classroom. She sat at the last row and busied herself with pilling all seven of Lockhart's books to avoid looking at the real thing. She had to tell herself that Lockhart did all these heroics so there was a reason why he was so famous. The rest of the class came clattering in, so Michael and Mandy sat down next to her. They had the class with Slytherin, of course

"What's Lockhart's problem?" Michael whispered to Hailey.

Hailey shrugged. "He thinks that all my fame is going to my head or something. He thinks that Ron and I flew the car here because I got on the front page of the Evening Prophet and he now thinks that I'm handing out signed photographs."

"He's a prat and you should ignore him," Michael said to Hailey.

"Hard to do when he's clinging to Hailey like wet clothes," Mandy cut in before Hailey could say anything.

Lockhart reached forward and picked up a copy of _Travels with Trolls_ , and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front. "Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award—but I don't want to talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her!"

There was silence. Hailey wasn't surprised that the Ravenclaws, except Mandy, weren't entirely sold on Lockhart either.

Lockhart continued, "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books—well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about—just to check how well you've read, how much you've taken in—"

When he handed out the test papers, he returned to the front of the class, and said, "You have thirty minute—start— _now_!"

Hailey stared at the test questions in disbelief.

 _1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite colour?_

 _2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

 _3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockart's greatest achievement to date?_

The questions went on and on about Lockhart, until she got to the last question.

 _54\. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?_

She noticed that Mandy started writing down furiously. "What is this crap?" Hailey muttered to herself, before she started writing down what she can remember.

When the time was up, Gilderoy Lockhart gathered their papers and rifled through them.

"Tut, tut—hardly any of you remembered that my favorite colour is lilac. I say so in _Year with the Yeti_. And a few of you need to read _Wandering with Werewolves_ more carefully—I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples—though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them a roguish wink and Hailey wouldn't have been surprised that one of the Slytherins had written it as a joke.

"…but Miss Mandy Brocklehurst knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions—good girl! In fact," he flipped the paper over, "full marks! Where is Miss Mandy Brocklehurst?" Mandy raised a hand. "Excellent!" Lockhart beamed with pride. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Ravenclaw! And so—to business—" He bent down behind his desk.

Hailey looked at Michael, who was beginning to look bored, not that she blamed him. He was probably thinking that he was smarter than Lockhart. She looked back at Lockhart to see that he was setting a covered cage on the desk.

"Now—be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm," Lockhart stated. Hailey leaned forward, wanting to know what was in the cage, glad to finally see something, even if it was a foul creature. In a low voice, Lockhart said, "I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them." With that he ripped off the cover off the cage, "freshly caught Cornish Pixies.

Hailey looked at the Cornish Pixies which were electric blue; about eight inches long, and had pointy faces. Once the cover was removed, they started jabbering, rocketing around, rattling the bars of the cage, and making bizarre faces at the students near them. Hailey was highly unimpressed at the sight.

The Slytherins busted out laughing, and Hailey couldn't help but thinking that the Cornish Pixies didn't seem dangerous.

Lockhart looked at the Slytherins, "yes?"

"They're…not…dangerous," Pansy said, in between laughs.

"Don't be sure. Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!" He looked at the cage, "right then." In a loud voice, he said, "let's see what you make of them!" He opened the cage and all hell broke loose.

The pixies shot out in all different directions. Pixies shot towards the back window, smashing it, showering them with broken glass.

The pixies grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with the ink. The wastebasket was upended. Pixies grabbed several bags and books, tossing them out the window. Most of the class ran out of the room, including all of the Slytherins. Hailey could've sworn she heard Malfoy say, "wait till my father hears about this!"

A few pixies grabbed a large portrait of the Lockhart, who went to grab it. One of the Pixies pulled on Hailey's hair which caused Michael to hit with a book and one of them stole Mandy's headband before breaking it in half, which Mandy whimpered at, and it caused Hailey to throw one of Lockhart's book at it. Hailey looked at Lockhart, "can you do something?"

Lockhart rolled up the sleeves on his robe, held out his wand, and bellowed, " _Peskipiksi Pesternomi_!" A pixy grabbed his wand and threw it out the back window. He looked at the three, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." Lockhart ran into his office slamming the door shut.

" _Immobulus_ ," Michael said, freezing two pixies at once.

With that, they went round, freezing and putting the pixies back in the cage. After they finished putting the pixies up, they headed to their next class. Although Mandy had to stop, to use a Mending Charm on her headband, before putting it back on. Mandy was muttering, "Bloody pixies. They're lucky that I didn't strangle them with my _bare_ hands."

"Can't you _believe_ that prat?" Hailey asked her two friends after they went to their next class.

"I'm sure—I don't have anything to say to that," Mandy started, shaking her head.

"How can he have written books on all of his adventures, yet not have a clue what to do with pixies?" Michael asked.

"It's like he's a whole different person," Hailey said. "I think Colton is right. There's something off about Lockhart, even if he is good-looking."

Later, when they told Hermione and Ron what happened, Hermione said, "He just wants to give us some hands-on experience."

" _Hands on_?" Hailey asked. "Hermione—"

Michael interrupted, "He hadn't had a clue on what he was doing—"

"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books—look at all those amazing things he's done—"

"He _says_ he's done," Ron muttered.

* * *

A/N: When I looked at the Howler's page on the Harry Potter wikia, I noticed in the gif. that the Ravenclaw table was behind Ron, so I decided to put the Ravenclaw table right next to the Gryffindor's table.


	7. Mudbloods and Murmurs

For the next few days, Hailey tried her best to avoid both Lockhart and Colin Creevey. However, it was hard to avoid Colin because he seemed to have memorized her schedule. Apparently Colin liked saying, "All right, Hailey?" and her, exasperatedly, saying back, "hello, Colin" six or seven times. What didn't help was that group of Ravenclaw first years; Andrew Jamison, John Bradley, and Nicholas Chambers were all openly staring at her legs, because her skirt was almost mid-thigh level, because she didn't buy longer skirts in Diagon Alley.

From what Ron and Hermione told her, Ron's wand malfunctioned in Charms, which had shot out and hit Professor Flitiwick in between the eyes, creating a large green boil.

Hailey had planned on taking her friends and visit Hagrid on Saturday. However, she was shaken awake on Saturday morning by Cho Chang, a third year. She was the substitute Seeker on the Quidditch team. Cho and Hailey were the only two female players.

"What's the matter?" asked Hailey, through a lock of her hair, which was in her mouth and she pulled it out.

"Quidditch practice, come on," Cho replied.

Hailey sat up in bed and glanced at a window, "But it's the arsecrack of dawn."

"Roger says that it's part of our new training program. Come on, grab your broom, and let's go. Meet you on the field in fifteen minutes." Cho said before leaving.

Hailey got up and found the dark blue Quidditch robes in her trunk and pulled them on for warmth. She wrote a note explaining to Mandy where she was going.

* * *

In the locker room, the Quidditch Ravenclaw team member were already waiting for her.

Jeremy Stretton and Randolph Burrow were seventh year Chasers, so they would be looking for two new Chasers next term. Duncan Inglebee and Jason Samuels were the fifth year Beaters and Grant Page was the fourth year Keeper. Roger was the fifth year Chaser and Captain.

"Okay, I wanted to talk to you all before we get started." Roger said and Hailey sat up straighter. "Win or lose, it doesn't matter at all because we're having fun. However, I would prefer to win because it's a hell of lot better than losing. Now, last year, we should've won the Quidditch Cup, but due to certain circumstances—" he looked at Hailey, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "—we need to train harder than ever." He took out pieces of parchment and passed it out to them.

It looked like a diagram of the Quidditch pitch, with arrows and crosses that were flashing different colours. Hailey realized that it was some sort of Quidditch plan.

"Now, I spent the whole summer coming up with different strategies to win the Quidditch Cup," Roger said. Someone's head landed on Hailey's shoulder and she looked over to see that it was Grant Page, who had fallen asleep. She nearly rolled her eyes at that. Roger continued, "We might be able to win the Quidditch Cup sometime." Roger looked at Hailey, "unless you end up doing something that hinders that and I end up having to kick your arse."

"I will be honoured to have you kick my arse," Hailey blurted out.

Roger glanced at Hailey as Cho started laughing. "Anyway…" He started explaining what the lines and crosses were on the parchment. The blue crosses were where the Quaffle possibly might go to and the bronze crosses were for the Bludgers. The lines were for the path that they would take to get to the Quaffle.

The lines were colour-coded. Green was for Duncan, yellow was for Jason, purple was for Hailey and Cho, black was for Roger, red was Jeremy, and lastly, grey was for Randolph.

After Roger finished explaining what the game-play was, they were finally allowed to go to the Quidditch pitch to test it out.

Hailey noticed that they were in the locker room so long that the sun was now completely up. As she walked onto the field, Mandy, Michael, Ron, and Hermione were up in the stands, holding toast and marmalade. Hailey was envious that she didn't have food to eat.

"Aren't you finished yet?" Ron asked, sounding incredulous.

Hailey shouted back, "We haven't even started yet! Roger was just showing us a new game-play!" She looked at the toast and marmalade, but she mounted her broom and kicked off.

"Race you!" Cho shouted, zooming right by Hailey. Jeremy Stretton followed after Cho, and Hailey chased after them, at full speed.

There was clicking sound echoing around in the near empty stadium.

"What's that funny clicking sound?" Jeremy shouted and Hailey looked around. She finally spotted Colin at the highest stand, taking pictures and she nearly groaned.

"Look this way, Hailey! Look this way!" Colin cried, almost shrilly.

"Who's that?" Cho asked confused, looking over at Colin.

"No idea," Hailey lied, before flying in a different direction to get away from Colin. She knew he meant well, but there was so much annoyance that a person can take; especially when he kept pestering her.

"Well, I don't like it," Roger said. "He could be a Slytherin spy. Bad enough I allow the two Gryffindors in, but I know that they're not going to spy on us." He motioned to Hermione and Ron, who were staring at something in the distance.

"He's in Gryffindor," Hailey explained.

"The Slytherins don't even need a spy when they're here in person." Grant Page said, motioning to the Slytherins, which were what Hermione and Ron were staring at. There was the Slytherins, wearing green Quidditch robes and holding broomsticks, were walking onto the field.

"I booked this time. What is going on?" Roger muttered and he zoomed to the ground. The rest followed after him, except Hailey who stayed in the air. She turned to face her friends who were getting up to see what was going on.

"What's going on?" Michael asked.

"I don't know," Hailey said, shrugged at them before landing.

Roger was holding a note, "' _I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker._ '"

"You got a Seeker?" Cho asked, looking from Slytherin face to Slytherin face, "where? I only see six of you." Draco emerged from the group, smirking, and Hailey nearly laughed. Cho stared, "I know you. You're Lucius Malfoy's son."

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint. If it was possible, the rest of the Slytherin team smiled more broadly, although Draco smirked even more. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

All seven held out their broomsticks.

Hailey noticed that in fine gold lettering spelt the words _Nimbus Two Thousand and One_. She almost scoffed, since it seemed like they were trying to compensate for lack of talent or something.

"Very latest model, only came out last month," said Flint, flicking a nonexistent speck of dust from the end of his Nimbus Two Thousand and One. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps," he smiled nastily at the Cleansweep Sevens that the Ravenclaw team were holding, "—sweeps the board with them."

Hailey forced a fake laugh, "Did it hurt to come up with that pun? Or did you get it from a toilet stall?"

Flint looked over at something and said, "Oh, look, a field invasion."

Hailey turned to see her four friends coming over to see what was going on.

Ron looked over at Malfoy, "What _he's_ doing here?"

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought for our team."

Hailey pretended to cough into her arm, "Lies," before pretending to cough again.

"Good, aren't they?" asked Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Ravenclaw team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweeps; I expect a museum would bet for them." The Slytherins howled with laughter, as if that was the funniest thing ever.

Michael started to say, "Do you really—"

"At least no one on the Ravenclaw team had to _buy_ their way in. _They_ got in one pure talent," Hermione interrupted sharply.

The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered before he spat out, "No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."

That was when chaos broke loose.

"You take that back you insignificant, little barf bag," Hailey snarled, diving at Malfoy. She wasn't the only who got mad, because Jason and Mandy charge at him. Roger and Michael grabbed at Hailey's robes, pulling her backwards. Grant and Duncan grabbed at Jason's arms.

"You know damn well that her blood is a lot cleaner than yours!" Mandy shouted, punching at Malfoy, but Cho grabbed her, pulling her back.

Roger, Grant, Duncan, Cho, and Michael managed to hold the three Ravenclaws back.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" Ron shouted.

There was loud bang and a jet of green light, and Hermione squealed, "Ron! Ron! Are you all right?"

Hailey turned around to see Ron open his mouth, belch, and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap. She passed her broomstick to Roger, and ran over to check on him, while the Slytherins laughed. She reached out to grab him but more slugs came out of his mouth. "We should get him to Hagrid's because it's nearest. He'll know what to do." Michael and Hermione pulled Ron up by the arms.

"You get any slugs on me; I will _dance_ on _your_ grave," Michael said.

Ron nodded, heaved, and more slugs dribbled down his foot.

"Ooh," said Colin fascinated and raised his camera. "Can you two hold him still?"

"Get out of our way, Colin!" Mandy ordered as Michael and Hermione supported Ron out of the stadium. Hailey and Mandy followed them across the grounds.

"We're almost there, Ron," Hermione told Ron.

"You're going to be all right," Mandy kept repeating to Ron.

The gamekeeper's cabin came into view. Michael said, "You'll be all right in a minute—we're almost there—"

The front door opened and Lockhart wearing robes of pale mauve came striding out.

Hailey groaned and hissed, "Quick! Behind here." She motioned to a nearby bush. Michael and a reluctant Hermione dragged Ron behind it. Mandy stared at Lockhart and Hailey pulled her down.

"It's a simple matter if you know what you're doing! If you need help, you know where I am! I'll let you have a copy of my book. I'm surprised you haven't already got one—I'll sign one tonight and send it over. Well, goodbye!" Lockhart said loudly and he strode away toward the castle.

Hailey rolled her eyes and wondered if that guy was going to win an award for being everywhere. She waited till Lockhart was out of sight and went to the door of Hagrid's hut. She waved the others over and knocked urgently on the door.

Hagrid opened the door, looking very grumpy, and then he seemed to brighten. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me—come in, come in—thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again—"

Michael and Hermione supported Ron over the threshold into the cabin, while Hailey hastily explained Ron's slug problem, as Michael and Hermione lowered Ron into the chair. Mandy and Michael sat on the couch. Hailey joined them.

"Better out than in," Hagrid cheerfully replied, plunking a large, wooden bucket on Ron's lap. "Get 'em all up, Ron."

Hailey thought that he was being way too cheerful over Ron vomiting up slugs.

"I don't think there's anything to do expect wait for it to stop," said Hermione anxiously, watching Ron bend over the bucket. "That's a difficult curse to work at the best of times, but with a broken wand—"

Hailey watched as Hagrid went around, making them tea. Fang came over and started slobbering all Hailey, before moving over to slobber over Mandy, who started cooing him, not caring about the slobber. "What did Lockhart want with you?"

"Givin' me advice on getting' kelpies out of a well," Hagrid responded.

Michael shuddered and stared off into the distance. Hailey wasn't sure, but she was positive he was thinking of the kelpie that had dragged him underwater when he was young. He couldn't remember that day, since his mother told Mandy's dad to use a spell on Michael. She reached over and patted his shoulder in a comforting manner.

Hagrid continued, "Like I don't know. An' bangin' on about some banshee he banished. If one word of it was true, I'll eat my kettle."

Hermione, in a higher voice than usual, said, "I think you're being a bit unfair. Professor Dumbledore obviously thought he was the best man for the job—"

"He was the on'y one. Getting' very difficult ter find anyone fer the Dark Arts job. People aren't too keen ter take it on, see. They're starting' ter think it's jinxed. No one's lasted long fer a while now," Hagrid explained, he jerked his head to Ron, "So tell me who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy called Hermione a slur," Mandy said. "I refuse to say it because it's horrible."

Ron emerged over the tabletop, pale and sweating. He said in a hoarse voice, "Malfoy called her 'Mudblood,' Hagrid—" Ron dived down as a fresh wave of slugs made their appearance and Hagrid looked outraged.

"He didn'!" Hagrid growled.

"He did," Hermione said. "But I don't know what it means. I could tell it was really rude, of course—"

"It's about the most insulting thing Malfoy could think of," Ron gasped, before going down to vomit up more slugs.

"Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born," Michael explained. "Since my mum is a Muggle-born, she had the term directed at her a lot."

Ron started explaining, "There are some wizards—like Malfoy's family—" He bent down to vomit up more slugs.

"They think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call pure-blood." Mandy explained, "The rest of us know that it doesn't matter. Look at Neville Longbottom. He's a pure-blood and he can hardly stand a cauldron the right way up."

"An' they haven't invented a spell our Hermione can't do," Hagrid said proudly.

"Anyway, it's a disgusting thing to call someone," Ron said. "Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It's ridiculous." He bent down to vomit up more slugs.

Mandy shrugged, "Besides, most wizards these days are half-bloods. If we hadn't married Muggles, we would've died out."

"Well, I don' blame yeh fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron." Hagrid said, loudly to be heard over Ron. "Bu' maybe it was a good thing yer wand backfired. 'Spect Lucius Malfoy would've come marchin' up ter school if yeh'd cursed his son. Least yer not in trouble."

Hailey said, "Malfoy used the term before. In Flourish and Blotts he said that I have a fan club of blood-traitors, half-bloods, and Mudbloods."

Hagrid said quite abruptly as if something jogged his memory, "Hailey. I gotta bone ter pick with yeh. I've heard that you've bin giving out signed photos. How come I haven't got one?"

"I was not giving out signed photos," Hailey said angrily. "If Lockhart's still spreading that around—"

Hagrid started laughing, "I'm on'y jokin.'" He patted Hailey on the back, sending her falling face-first right into the table.

Michael leaned over to check on her and he grabbed her shoulder, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Hailey said, sitting up, rubbing her nose, which she was glad that didn't break.

"I knew yeh hadn't really. I told Lockhart yeh didn't need ter. Yer more famous that him without tryin'," Hagrid said.

"Bet he didn't like that," Hailey said, grinning at the thought, thinking that it served Lockhart right.

"Don't think he did," Hagrid replied. "An' then I told him I'd never read one o' his books an' he decided to go." He grabbed a plate with treacle toffee and held it out to Ron, "Treacle toffee?"

"No thanks," Ron replied, sounding weak, "Better not risk it."

"Come see what I've been growing," Hagrid said.

The five second years went out back to see what Hagrid was growing. He was talking about pumpkins, which were the size of boulders. Hailey was positive that one pumpkin would fill Dudley up.

Hagrid seemed happy. "Getting' on well, aren't they? Fer the Halloween feast…should be big enough by then."

Hailey hoped that this year on Halloween, there wouldn't be another troll that she had to wrestle in the girls' lavatory, again.

Mandy went to inspect a pumpkin and looked at Hagrid, "What've you been feeding them?"

"Well, I've been givin' them—you know—a bit of help—" Hagrid started.

Michael and Hermione both said at the same time, "an Engorgement Charm."

"—I suppose." Hermione finished, she had a tone halfway between disapproval and amusement. "Well, you've done a good job on them."

Hagrid turned to Ron, "That's what yer little sister said. Said she was jus' lookin' around the grounds, but I reckon she was hopin' she might run inter yeh two together."

Hailey wasn't amused and Ron snorted with laughter, and ended up spraying the ground with slugs.

"Watch it!" Hagrid roared, yanking Ron away from the pumpkins.

* * *

As they walked up to the castle, when it was almost lunchtime, they were intercepted by Professor McGonagall, who was looking quite stern. "There you are Potter—Weasley. You will both be doing your detentions this evening."

Ron looked like he was suppressing a burp and he asked nervously, "What're we doing, Professor?"

"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr Filch. And no magic, Weasley—elbow grease," said Professor McGonagall. Ron gulped and Hailey pitied him, as she loathed Mr Filch too.

Professor McGonagall turned to Hailey. "And you, Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail."

Hailey nearly groaned. "Can't I go and do the trophy room, too?" She wouldn't mind having Filch breath down her neck if she polished trophies and silver. It wouldn't be the first time that she had someone breath down her neck as she cleaned stuff.

Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "Certainly not. Professor Lockhart requested you particularly. Eight o'clock sharp, both of you."

Both Ron and Hailey slouched into the Great Hall, with Mandy, Michael, and Hermione following behind. Hermione had a look on her face that openly stated, ' _well-you-did-break-the-school-rules_ ' expression.

Hailey didn't enjoy the shepherd's pie because she was busy marinating in her annoyance at having to answer Lockhart's fan mail.

"Are you excited for Quidditch? I am. Luna is too. She's working on something to show her support for Ravenclaw. She won't allow me to see it." Colton Taylor was saying to Stephen Cornfoot. "I'm kind of excited. It's been a while since I saw a Quidditch match." Then he started talking about how he went to his first Quidditch game, which was the Pride of Portree.

"Isn't Meaghan McCormack's brother Kirk Duke from the Weird something or whatever their band is called?" Stephen asked. "I think I heard Anthony talking about them with Pavarti and Padma."

"Yes, he is," Colton replied, "and it's the Weird Sisters."

"I knew that," Stephen said a little to quickly.

"Filch'll keep me there all night," Ron suddenly complained to Hailey. Hailey's back was to Ron, as they were sitting across from each other at their tables. "No magic! There must be about a hundred cups in that room. I'm not good at Muggle cleaning.

"I'd swap anytime," Hailey told him. I've had loads of practice with the Dursleys. Answering Lockhart's fan mail…he'll be a nightmare…" She could hear his voice now, " _n_ _ow Hailey…it'll be practice for when…blah blah blah…blah!_ "

* * *

Five minutes to eight, Hailey dragged her feet down the corridor to Lockhart's office, dreading having detention with him. It reminded her that she still had one more detention to do, and she hoped that it wasn't with Lockhart again.

She stepped outside the door, gritted her teeth, and knocked on the door.

The door opened at once and Lockhart beamed down at Hailey.

"Ah, here's the scalawag," Lockhart said.

 _What did you just call me you scoundrel?_ Hailey thought.

"Come in, Hailey, come in," Lockhart said.

Shining brightly on the walls by candlelight was countless framed photographs of Lockhart. Hailey wasn't surprised to see that Lockhart signed a few of them and she saw a pile of signed photographs, which didn't surprise her either.

"You can address the envelopes!" Lockhart said, as if that was a huge treat. "The first one's to Gladys Gudgeon, bless her—huge fan of mine—"

Hailey tuned out Lockhart, occasionally saying, "Mmm", "Right," and "Yeah." Sometimes she caught a phrase like, "Fame's a fickle friend, Hailey" and "Celebrity is as celebrity does, remember that."

Hailey watched as the candles burn lower and lower. She wished that it was time to leave and wondered when she was supposed to leave. She wrote out Veronica Smethley's address, her hand cramping…

" _Come…come to me...Let me rip you…Let me tear you…Let me kill you…_ "

It was a voice that seemed to chill bone marrow, it was ice cold, and it caused Hailey to jump up, blotting Veronica's street address. " _What_?"

"I know!" called Lockhart. "Six solid months at the top of the best-seller list! Broke all records!"

"No, that voice!" Hailey replied, frantically and Lockhart looked puzzled. She continued, "That—that voice that said—" she couldn't bring herself to repeat it. "Didn't you hear it?"

Lockhart was staring at Hailey in astonishment. "What are you talking about, Hailey? Perhaps you're getting a little drowsy?" He looked at a clock. "Great Scott—look at the time! We've been here nearly four hours! I'd never have believed it—the time's flown, hasn't it?"

Hailey was trying to listen for the voice again, but it didn't appear. Maybe she was hearing things, but she wasn't sure. If it was real, where did it come from and why couldn't Lockhart hear it? Lockhart was telling her that she mustn't expect a treat like that every time she got detention, so she left, feeling a bit dazed and mostly confused over the voice. When she got to the Ravenclaw common room, a few older students were up doing work.

Mandy was still up, going over some notes, and looked up when Hailey walked in. "How was detention with Lockhart?" She was whispering so she didn't wake up Padma, Sue Li, and Lisa. Hailey whispered to her about the voice she heard, and Mandy whispered, "weird…Lockhart said that he didn't hear it? Maybe he was lying? But someone invisible would've had to open the door."

"I know, I don't get it either," Hailey said.

Mandy ran her fingers through the yellow feather on her quill. Hailey knew that that the feather was from a Fwooper, which she read about in _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_. "Hearing voices isn't a good thing, you know. Even in the wizarding world, it's not a good thing."

Hailey sputtered, "I'm _not_ going mad. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for what happened," With that she got dressed in her pajamas.

"I'm not saying you're going mad. I was just saying that it's not a good sign. Maybe you were tired and just thought you heard a voice," Mandy said.

"Maybe. That makes me feel a bit better." Hailey responded, lying down on the bed, and she stared up at the canopy, thinking about the voice.


	8. The Deathday Party

When October arrived, it brought with it a spate of colds. Madam Pomfrey was kept busy by staff and students, as she distributed Pepperup Potions, which left one steaming from the ears for several hours. From what Michael had told her, it worked instantly. From what Mandy said, who had came down with the flu, Ginny had been forced to take some Pepperup Potion, because she had been looking pale, and Percy had made her take some. The resulting steam coming from Ginny's ears had made it look like her head was on fire. It had been raining on end for days, causing the lake to rise, turn the flowerbeds muddy, and Hagrid's pumpkins had grown to the size of garden sheds.

Despite the rainy weather and wind, Roger Davies was still adamant on training, because of the new brooms that the Slytherins had. He wanted to prove that it was talent that would win, and not speed. Hailey didn't have the heart to say that speed was a factor in a lot of things. It seemed like Oliver Wood and Roger had struck up a competition for the pitch. It seemed like it was whoever gets there first, gets it.

Fred and George had been spying on the Slytherins and had told Hailey that all they saw was seven green blurs. Hailey figured that they were returning a favour because she told them about the Nimbus Two Thousands and Ones. After Quidditch practice, Hailey felt like she was carrying the entirety of the Atlantic Ocean in her robes, which she tried to squeeze out the water and she was covered in mud, which she tried her hardest to scrap off before heading inside the castle.

As she moved along the deserted corridor, trying to figure out how to beat Slytherin with their fast brooms, that didn't involve jinxing (they had powerful magic) or cheating (slamming into them and giving the Slytherins a foul was out of the question) she came across Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, who was muttering, "…don't fulfill their requirements…half an inch, if that…"

"Hello, Nick," Hailey greeted trying to slowly walk to Ravenclaw Tower.

Nick looked startled, "Hello, hello." He turned around to face her. "You look troubled young Potter." He was folding a transparent letter.

 _Ghost letters exist?_ Hailey thought confused and looked at Nick, who looked troubled, too, "So do you."

"Ah, a matter of no importance," Nick said, waving a hand. "It's not as though I really wanted to join…thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements'…" Hailey really wished she knew what he was talking about since Nick looked extremely bitter. "But you would think, wouldn't you," he pulled the letter out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"

 _No,_ Hailey thought, but didn't voice it out loud, because she didn't want to crush his hopes. Plus, it seemed like she was supposed to agree, "Er—yes."

"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However—" he started reading the letter out loud:

" _We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted company with their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick-Delaney-Podmore."_

Hailey tried to figure out a way to comfort him as Nick stuffed the letter in his pocket, fuming. "Half an inch of skin and sinew holding on my neck, Hailey! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh, no, it's for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore!"

Hailey wanted to say that she didn't consider half an inch of skin and sinew holding a neck on, as properly decapitated, but again she had a feeling that she was supposed to agree with Nick. She didn't know what to say.

Nick took a few deep breaths, "So—what's bothering you? Anything I can do?"

"No," said Hailey. "Unless you can find seven Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones for our match against Slyth—" A high-pitched meowing drowned out the rest of her sentence and she looked down to see Mrs Norris circling her ankles.

"You'd better get out of here, Hailey," Nick said quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood—he's got the flu and some third years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five. He's been cleaning all morning and if sees you dripping mud all over the place—"

 _I'm dead,_ Hailey thought backing up, "Right." Before she can make a run for it, Filch burst through a tapestry, wearing a tartan scarf around his head, and his nose was unnaturally purple, which Hailey thought was a terrible sign and hoped he would see Madam Pomfrey about it.

"Filth!" Filch shouted his eyes almost popping out as he pointed at the muddy puddles from Hailey's robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Potter!"

Hailey waved goodbye to Nearly Headless Nick, before following Filch downstairs, leaving more muddy footsteps in her path.

She was lead to Filch's office, which was lit up by a single oil lantern and there was a hint of fried fish. There were wooden filing cabinets around and from what Hailey could see, had the names of every pupil on there. From what she heard from Fred and George, it contained every pupil that Filch had to punish. Fred and George had an entire filling cabinet to themselves, which wasn't a surprise. To her horror, there was a collection of chains and manacles hanging on the wall behind Filch. Not for the first, and definitely not for the last time, she wondered who in their right mind had hired Filch to be caretaker.

Filch grabbed a quill from a pot and he started looking for parchment. He started muttering furiously, "dung…great sizzling dragon bogies…frog brains…rat intestines…I've had enough of it…make an _example_ …where's the form…yes…"

He found a roll of parchment in his desk and stretched it out. He dipped the black quill in ink and he started to write. "' _Name_ …Hailey Potter… _Crime_ …'"

"It was a bit of mud," Hailey countered.

"It's only a bit of mud to you, girl, but to me it's an extra hour of scrubbing!" shouted Filch and Hailey hated herself for agreeing with that. She remembered the countless hours she spent on scrubbing the floors because Dudley and his gang purposely trailed mud everywhere in Number 4, and when they got bored with that, they started leaving a mess of dishes, and left soup broth on the table and floor. " _Crime_ …befouling the castle… _suggested sentence_ …" Filch dabbed at his nose and squinted unpleasantly at Hailey, who was waiting with bated breath for her punishment.

She was probably going to have to scrub at the floors without the aid of magic. _Joke's on him, since I had lots of practice of cleaning,_ she thought almost bitterly.

Filch lowered his quill—

 _Bang!_

The oil lantern rattled and Hailey looked at the ceiling, wondering what fell or what caused that sound.

"Peeves!" Filch shouted throwing down his quill in rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!" He and Mrs Norris ran out of the office.

Hailey didn't like Peeves, but she was grateful for his timing. Whatever he wrecked, it sounded big. She frowned; it could've been Fred and George messing around with some Filibuster Fireworks. She hoped that whatever it was, it would distract Filch from punishing her. She decided not to cause anymore 'trouble', she picked up a large, glossy purple envelope with silver lettering on it.

 _KWIKSPELL  
_ _A Correspondence Course in Beginners' Magic_

She stared at the envelope confused and wondered why Filch would have that. _Was he so old, that he forgot how to do magic? Was he not a proper wizard? Did something stop him from learning magic?_

She considered opening it, but she knew that it was rude to look at someone else's mail, remembering how her uncle wouldn't allow her to read her Hogwarts letters, and tossed the envelope back onto the desk. She stood up and went to the filing cabinet. She opened the cabinet and noticed a file on Stephen Cornfoot. Curious, she picked it up and opened it. His crime was for using magic in the corridor to write vulgar words on the walls. She rolled her eyes and put it back. Surprisingly she found a file on Michael and she took it out. She opened it and noticed that he too got in trouble for writing vulgar words on the walls, but with markers instead. She closed it and put the folder back in its spot. She looked for Mandy's, but her file wasn't in there. She heard footsteps outside the room and she closed the cabinet. She ran over and sat back down on the chair. She pulled out her wand, whispered " _Tergeo_ ," and pointed the wand at the mud tracks.

The door opened as soon at the mud tracks disappeared.

"That Vanishing Cabinet was extremely valuable!" Filch was saying gleefully to Mrs Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet—" His eyes fell on Hailey and the envelope. To Hailey's horror, the envelope was two inches away from where it originally was. Filch's white face turned red and he hobbled over. He grabbed the envelope and threw it in a drawer. He sputtered, "have you—did you read—?"

Hailey was confused, "No." The letter must've been very important to Filch if he was reacting like that.

Filch's knobby hands twisted together, as he looked at her. "If I thought you'd read my private—not that it's mine—for a friend—be that as it may—however—" Filch's eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks, the purple nose, and the tartan scarf made him look even more ridiculous. "Very well—go—and don't breathe a word—not that—however, if you didn't read—go now, I have to write Peeves's report—go—"

Hailey ran out of the office, relieved to not to get some type of punishment. She could still remember Flitwick's punishment. She had to alphabetize Fliwick's bookshelf by authors, and some of the books didn't have their authors on them.

Nearly Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. "Hailey! Hailey! Did it work?" Hailey could see a large black and gold cabinet behind him, which looked to have been fallen from a great height. "I persuaded Peeves to drop it over Filch's office," Nick said eagerly. "Thought it might distract him—"

"Was that you?" Hailey asked, grateful. "Yeah, it worked. I didn't even get detention. Thank you." She wondered if there was some way to show him her gratitude. They set off down the corridor together. "I wish there was something I can do to help you out with the Headless Hunt," she said after noticing that Nick was still holding his rejection letter.

Nick stopped in his tracks and Hailey walked through him. She felt like she had stepped into an icy shower.

"But this is something you could do for me," said Nick, excitedly. "Hailey—would I be asking too much—but no, you wouldn't want—"

"What is it?" asked Hailey, already dreading the answer. But she was in debt to him, for helping her get out of trouble and now she had to repay the favour.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth deathday." said Nick, drawing himself up and trying to look dignified.

"Oh," Hailey responded, "right." She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be sorry or happy.

Nick watched Hailey as he explained, "I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an _honour_ if you attend. Misters Weasley and Corner, and Miss Brocklehurst and Miss Granger will be most welcome, too, of course—but I daresay you'd rather go to the school feast?"

"No, I'll come—" Hailey said quickly.

"My dear girl! Hailey Potter, at my deathday party! And—" he hesitated, "Do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you fine?"

"Er—of course," Hailey responded. Nick beamed down at her.

* * *

By the time Hailey got back to her common room, she told Michael and Mandy about the deathday party.

Michael gaped at Hailey, "A deathday party?"

"Lighten up," Mandy said nudging him with her shoulder. "A deathday party might be fun. I don't think many people could say they've been to one."

"They probably been to one and died of boredom while there," Michael responded.

"Why so sullen?" Mandy asked.

"I just think that it sounds boring," Michael said.

Hailey didn't voice her agreement with him, but she did owe Nearly Headless Nick a favour for him getting her out of trouble. She glanced outside to see the rain lashing the windows and she wished that they had a fireplace in the common room, but they had couches, tables, and chairs. She needed to tell Hermione and Ron about the deathday party, which she would when they meet up for breakfast.

* * *

The next morning came, Hailey, Mandy, and Michael had meet up with Hermione and Ron, so Hailey can tell the Gryffindors about the Deathday Party.

"A deathday party?" Hermione asked keenly. "I bet there aren't many people living people who can say they've been to one of those—it'll be fascinating!"

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" asked Ron. "Sounds dead depressing to me…"

Hailey smiled at that. "So, are you coming with us all?"

"I guess since you're all going," Ron muttered.

* * *

When Halloween came, Hailey was beginning to regret her decision to go to Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, but she had to repay him the favour. While she was dreading going to the deathday party, the rest of the school was anticipating the Halloween feast. There was a rumour that Dumbledore had booked a skeleton dancing troupe, that Colton and Stephen Cornfoot seemed eager to see.

For breakfast, she watched the live bats swarm the hall and she Hagrid's pumpkins that had been huge enough to fit three people in it.

At seven, they walked past the Great Hall and to the dungeons. Mandy started talking about how much food she would miss.

The hallway was decorated with long, jet-black tapers that burned bright blue. The temperature dropped with every step and Hailey pulled her robes closer to stay warm. There was the sound of what sounded like a thousand fingernails scratching a chalkboard.

"I hate that sound," Michael said wincing at it.

"I think that's supposed to be _music_ ," Ron whispered to him.

"Terrible music," Michael said.

They turned a corner and came face-to-face with Nearly Headless Nick, standing in front of a doorway with black drapes.

"My dear friends," said Nick mournfully. "Welcome, welcome…so pleased you can come…" he swept off his plumped hat and bowed them inside.

When Hailey stepped inside, it felt like she walked into a freezer, and she thought the dungeon was an incredible sight. There was hundreds of translucent people drifting round a crowded dance floor. The ghosts were waltzing to the sound of what was probably saws, played by an orchestra on a raised, black draped platform.

"That's beautiful," Mandy whispered, pointing up. Hailey looked up to see a chandler with black candles that were blazing midnight blue. "The Ravenclaw common room should have something like that."

Hailey nodded and asked, "Shall we look around?" She just wanted to warm her feet up.

"Let's try not to walk through anyone," Ron said sounding nervous.

The five second years started walking round the edge of the dance-floor. They passed by a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man in chains, and the Fat Friar who was talking to a knight who had an arrow sticking out of his head. The Bloody Baron had an wide berth, because of the whole covered in blood bit.

"Oh no," Hermione said. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle—"

" _Who_?" Michael asked as they backtracked anyway.

"Moaning Myrtle is the ghost who haunts one of the toilets in the first-floor girl's lavatory," Mandy whispered to him.

"She haunts a _toilet_?" Ron asked sounding incredulous.

"Yes, it's out of order because she keeps having tantrums and flooding it," Hermione explained. "I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it; it's awful trying to have a pee with her wailing at you—"

Michael said, "I know the feeling. Except it's my Aunt Temperance yelling at me through the door about why her religion is right and the others are—"

"Look, food!" Ron interrupted.

Mandy and Ron both ran for the long table which was also covered with black velvet. The other three followed after them.

The smell coming from the table was disgusting, which stopped them in their tracks. There was large rotting fish on silver platters; there were burnt, charcoal black cakes on salvers; there was haggis covered in maggots, and furry green, moldy cheese. In pride of place was a grey cake in the shape of a tombstone, and in tar-like icing was written:

 **Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington**  
 **Died 31st October, 1492**

"That's disgusting," Mandy said referring to the bad food.

Hailey watched as a portly ghost approach the table. He crouched low, and walked it through it with his mouth opened so wide that it passed through one of the stinking salmon. It was kind of amazing to see and she asked, "Can you taste it if you walk through it?"

"Almost," the ghost said sadly, before drifting away.

"I expect they've let it rot so it can have a stronger flavour." Hermione said pinching her nose and leaning to inspect the maggoty-haggis.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Michael said and Hailey nodded, feeling a little ill too.

"Can we move? I feel ill, too," Ron said.

"Me too," Mandy agreed.

They barely turned around before Peeves swooped from under the table, before stopping in mid-air. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow tie, and he was smiling wickedly.

"Hello Peeves," Hailey greeted, almost dully.

"Nibbles?" Peeves asked, holding out a bowl of fungus-covered peanuts, which made Mandy gag.

"No thanks," Hermione said.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle. _Rude_ you was about poor Myrtle," said Peeves. He took a deep breath and bellowed, "Oi! Myrtle!"

"Oh, no Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Hermione whispered frantically. "I didn't mean it, I don't mind her—" a squat ghost of a girl glided over. She had a grumpy look half-hidden behind lank hair, and thick pearly spectacles that reminded Hailey of the ones that she saw her dad wearing in the Mirror of Erised. It hurt her heart a little, just thinking about her parents. "—er hello Myrtle."

"What?" asked Myrtle sulkily, with a high-pitched voice.

"How are you, Myrtle?" Hermione asked in a false bright tone. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

Myrtle sniffed and Hailey couldn't help but notice that Myrtle was wearing a blue and bronze tie.

Peeves spoke in Myrtle's ear, slyly, "Miss Granger was just talking about you—"

"Just saying—saying—how nice you look tonight," said Hermione while glaring at Peeves.

Hailey looked at Myrtle. She was wearing what seemed to be denim looking robes and her hair was in pigtails. In a way, she thought that Myrtle looked a little to old to be a Hogwarts student.

"You're making fun of me," Myrtle said, tears welling in her eyes.

"No—honestly—didn't I just say how nice Myrtle's looking?" Hermione said, nudging Ron and Michael in the ribs.

Michael muttered, "Oh, yeah—"

Ron started, "She did—"

"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder.

"Oh, dear," Mandy muttered.

"D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!" Myrtle shouted.

"You've forgotten pimply," Peeves hissed in Myrtle's ear.

Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with fungus-covered peanuts, yelling, " _Pimply! Pimply!_ " Hailey heard Mandy giggling at that, and she looked at Mandy, who stopped at once.

"Oh, dear," Hermione said sadly.

"I'll admit, she was _kind of_ cute." Michael said and Hailey looked at him. Michael looked back at her, "What?"

Nick drifted toward them through the crowd, and asked, "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, yes," Hailey, Hermione, Michael, and Ron lied.

"Not really," Mandy muttered, causing Hailey to elbow her in the ribs. "Yes," she said quickly.

"Not a bad turnout," Nick said proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way from Kent…It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra…"

A hunting horn sounded and the orchestra fell silent as they looked around.

"Oh, here we go," Nick said bitterly.

Through a dungeon wall, a dozen horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly and Mandy started clapping too, but stopped at the sight of Nick's face. She straightened up and coughed into her shoulder.

The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, rearing and plunging. Hailey awkwardly pulled Michael to the side, to avoid being trampled on. She remembered that the ghosts would've gone through him and she had to tell herself that she probably saved him from getting hypothermia.

At the front of the pack was a large ghost who had his bearded head under his arm, from which position he was blowing the horn. The ghost leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd, causing everyone, except Nick and Hailey, to laugh. The headless ghost strode over to Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck. "Nick!" he roared, "How are you? Head still hanging in there?" He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nick on the shoulder. Hailey cringed at the pun.

"Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.

"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting the five second-years and gave a huge fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell of again, causing the crowd to howl with laughter. Hailey felt her lips twitch into a smile, but tried to stop it so she didn't make Nick feel like she was betraying him.

"So much better than dancing skeletons," Michael whispered in Hailey's ear. His breath made her ear tickle and she wondered why he was standing so close to her. "Thanks for bringing me here."

"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say—look at the fellow—"

Hailey noticed Nick looking at her, "I think, Nick's very—frightening and—uh—" She was ready to elbow Michael in the ribs to get him to say something, but there was a loud 'Ha!' from the floor.

Sir Patrick said, "Bet he asked you to say that!"

"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" Nick shouted trying to get everyone's attention, and Hailey watched as Nick strode to the podium, feeling a little bad that he got gate-crashed. He stepped into an icy blue spotlight. "My late lamented lords, ladies, and gentlemen, it is my great sorrow…"

Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd was turning to watch.

Nick was trying to recapture the ghosts' attention but it was in vain, and gave up when Sir Patrick's head sailed right by him to loud cheers. Hailey had to elbow Michael in the ribs, because he was among them. "Stop cheering," she hissed at him.

"I can't stand much more of this." Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.

"Let's go," Hailey agreed, already feeling cold and hungry.

They backed towards the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them. A minute later they went hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron, hopefully. He was leading the way toward the steps to the entrance hall.

"… _rip…tear…kill…"_

It was the same cold, murderous voice she had heard in Lockhart's office. She stumbled to a halt and clutched at the stone wall. She pressed her ear against it listening. She squinted up and down at the dimly lit passageway.

Mandy asked, "Hailey, what're you—?"

Hailey said, "It's that voice again—shut up a minute—"

"… _so hungry…for so long…"_

Michael sounded confused, "What are—?"

"Listen!" Hailey shouted urgently, making the other four stand still, while staring at her.

"… _kill…time to kill…"_

The voice seemed to grow fainter and she was positive it was moving upward. She was feeling a mixture of things, fear and excitement. She wondered how it moved upward.

"I think it went this way!" She shouted, and ran up the stairs into the entrance hall. It was no good hoping hear anything since the babble of talk from the Great Hall was echoing out of it. She sprinted up the mable staircase to the first floor, with the four clattering behind her.

Ron started, "Hailey, what're we—?"

"Shh!" Hailey tried to strain her ears and she heard distantly from the floor above and growing fainter, she heard the voice:

"… _I smell blood… I smell blood!"_

Hailey's stomach lurched, "It's going to kill someone!" She ignored the bewildered looks on her friends' faces and she ran up the next flight of steps, trying to listen over her own pounding footsteps. She hurtled round the whole of the second floor, and the four panting behind her, not stopping until they turned a corner in the last, deserted passage.

"Hailey, what was that all about?" asked Ron wiping sweat from his face. "I couldn't hear anything."

Hermione and Mandy gasped.

"Oh, my god," Mandy said in horror.

"Look!" Hermione shouted.

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached slowly, squinting through the darkness. Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the lights cast by the flaming torches.

"'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware,'" Michael read out loud and studied the words. "Is that blood?"

They inched towards the message and Hailey almost slipped, she grabbed onto the front of Michael's shirt to keep from falling. Michael steadied her and Hailey didn't want to look down in case it was a puddle of blood.

"It's just water," Mandy said to her, before they continued towards the dark thing. Michael was more focused on the writing of the wall and reached out to touch a dripping letter on the wall. He looked at his fingertip, which was covered in red. "I think it is blood." He looked disgusted before wiping it off on his trousers.

Hailey looked at the thing under the torch and jumped backwards right into the puddle of water. Michael looked up and stepped backwards. The others did too when they realized what it was. Mrs Norris was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes were wide and staring. Hailey couldn't move because she was to busy gaping at the sight.

"Let's get out of here," Ron said.

Mandy started, "should, should we—"

"Try and help—?" Hailey finished awkwardly, staring at the cat.

"Trust me," Ron said, "We don't want to be found here."

A rumble told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor was the sound of loud, happy talk of well-fed people. Students were crashing into the passage from both ends. The noises died suddenly as the people in front spotted the hanging cat. Hailey, Ron, Michael, Mandy, and Hermione stood alone in the middle of the corridor as silence fell among the crowd. It seemed like they were pressing forward to see the grisly sight.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!" shouted Draco, pushing to the front of the crowd and grinning at Hermione.


	9. Writing on the Wall

"What's going on here? What's going on?" Filch asked, no doubt attracted to Malfoy's shouts, shouldered his way through the crowd. He saw Mrs Norris and he grabbed his face in horror, "my cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs Norris?"

Hailey didn't blame him. If she saw Hedwig tied up to the torch bracket upside down for all to see, she would be horrified to.

Filch's eyes landed on her, " _You!_ You've murdered my cat!" He grabbed Hailey's robes and shook her roughly.

"Hey!" Ron shouted moving forward to stop Filch.

Michael tried to remove Filch's hands from Hailey's shoulders. "She didn't do it! Let go of her!"

Filch ignored their shouts as he continued to shake Hailey. "I'll kill you! I'll—"

" _Argus!_ " Dumbledore shouted, a number of other teachers following behind him.

Filch let go of Hailey's robes and the two boys glared at him. "Professor Dumbledore, this girl has—"

"Done nothing wrong," Professor Dumbledore cut in. He turned to the crowd, "Everyone will proceed to their dormitories immediately." The five looked at each other, and slowly made way to the leaving crowd. Dumbledore said, "Everyone, except you five," which caused the five to stay put.

Dumbledore swept by and removed Mrs Norris from the torch bracket.

Lockhart stepped forward, eagerly, and Hailey heard Michael groan. "My office is nearest, Headmaster—just upstairs—please feel free—"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

They were herded to Lockhart's office, with Snape and McGonagall. Hailey tried to figure out why it seemed like Lockhart tried to be everywhere at once.

When they entered Lockhart's office, there was a flurry of movement as pictures of Lockhart's ran out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit candles and stepped back as Dumbledore laid Mrs Norris's body out on the desk.

They sat in three chairs, although Mandy and Michael remained standing. Michael decided to randomly sit on Hailey's lap, with his arms crossed and Hailey didn't appreciate it.

Filch started pointing at Hailey, "This girl has—"

"She's not dead, Argus," Dumbledore said examining Mrs Norris's body.

"Ah, thought so," Lockhart said, "so unlucky I wasn't there. I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…"

"Not dead?" choked Filch, "But why's she's all—all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," Dumbledore said, "But how, I cannot say."

"Ask _her_!" Filch shrieked, pointing at Hailey. He turned to face her, his face blotched and tearstained.

"No second year could have done this," replied Dumbledore, firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced—"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," Snape said, before Filch can respond. Hailey felt dread, unsure if Snape was going to say anything good. "Potter and her friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time—" he sneered, as if he didn't believe it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was she in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't she been at the Halloween feast?" He was eyeing the two in the chair with disgust.

The five launched into the Deathday Party story, finishing off that there was hundreds of ghosts that were there.

"But why not join the feast afterward? Why go up to that corridor?" Snape asked.

"Well, we were on our way there—" Hermione started.

"When we found the wall and Mrs Norris," Mandy stated.

"Innocent until proven guilty," Dumbledore said.

Filch shouted, "My cat has been Petrified! I want to see some punishment! She read my mail! She knows I'm a Squib!"

Hailey scoffed, "I didn't read your mail! I don't even know what a Squib _is_!" She knew that was odd, considering she knew what a Mudblood was, but she couldn't have read up on _everything_ in one year.

"You lie!" Filch said, "This girl—"

"Has done nothing wrong, as I said," Dumbledore interrupted. "We will be able to cure her. Professor Sprout has recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart said.

Michael threw his head back, groaning, nearly hitting Hailey in the nose with his head. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, "Sorry."

"I must have done it a hundred times," Lockhart continued, "I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep—"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily, "but I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

"I trust Mrs Norris's life in Snape's hands more than Lockhart," Michael whispered to Hailey, who nodded.

"You may go," Dumbledore said to the five second years.

They got up although Hailey's legs seemed to have fallen asleep. They hurried out the classroom as quickly as possible without running.

When they were a floor above Lockhart's office, they went inside a empty classroom and Hailey closed the door behind them. She squinted at her friends' faces in the darkened classroom. "Do you think I should've told them about the voice I heard?"

"No," Ron and Mandy said together.

Ron said, "Hearing voices that no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the Wizarding world."

"Ron's right," Michael said. "My neighbour was ten when she got taken away because she started stabbing her stuffed animals because she thought they were insulting her."

Mandy placed her hands on her hips as she looked at Michael, "You have a lot of experiences."

"It's called living in an apartment building," Michael replied dryly, "and having a highly unsettling religious aunt and grandmother."

Hailey looked at them, "Anyway, you all believe me, don't you?"

"Course I do," Ron said, quickly. "But—you must admit it's weird…"

"I know it's weird," Hailey responded. "The whole thing is weird. What—"

"Was that writing on the wall about, anyway? The Chamber of Secrets Has Been Opened…What is that supposed to mean? And why write in blood?" Michael asked.

Hermione looked like she was thinking about it.

Ron said, "You know, it sort of rings a bell. I think someone's told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once…might've been Bill…"

"What on earth is a Squib?" Hailey asked.

Ron stifled a snicker, "It's not funny, but as it's Filch—"

"A Squib is the opposite of a Muggle-born," Mandy said quickly. "A non-magical person born in a family of wizards. They're rare."

"If Filch is trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell, I reckon he's a Squib. It explains why he hates students so much. He's bitter," Ron said.

A clock chimed from somewhere in the castle.

"I think it's midnight. We should get to our Towers before Filch decides to accuse me of something else," Hailey said.

* * *

It seemed like for the past few days, the school could talk all about the attack on Mrs Norris.

Hailey had told Colton about Lockhart saying that he could whip up a potion in his sleep, and he laughed so hard, Hailey thought he was going to stop breathing.

She had seen Filch wiping the blood away with Mrs Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover, before he started skulking, red-eyed round the castle, and lunging at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for 'breathing to loudly' and 'looking happy'. Mandy had gotten a few of her headbands confiscated because she was wearing 'cheerful looking headbands', upsetting her.

Hailey noticed that Ginny had been looking disturbed lately and Ron had told her that Ginny was a huge cat lover.

At breakfast Hailey heard Ron telling Ginny, "You haven't gotten to know Mrs Norris. Honestly, we're better off without her. Stuff like this doesn't happen at Hogwarts." He sounded like he was trying to reassure her. "They'll catch the maniac who did it and have him out of here in no time. I just hope he's got time to Petrify Filch before he's expelled…" He added hastily, "I'm only joking."

Hailey noticed that Hermione, Mandy, and Michael started reading a lot more than usual. She was also reading _A History of Magic_ to see if there was anything in there and she saw Ron also skimming _A History of Magic_. She agreed to meet Hermione, Ron, Michael, and Mandy in the library, because she got held back in Potions because Snape wanted her to scrap the tubeworms from the tables. She suspected that it was because it had to be some type of punishment for something.

After a hurried lunch, she ran upstairs to the library, coming face-to-face with Justin Finch-Fletchley. She was going to say hello to him, but he abruptly turned and sped off in the opposite direction. Confused, she walked in the library. In a way, she suspected the library became more like their common room than their House common rooms.

She found Ron at the back of the library, where he was measuring his History of Magic homework, which was supposed to be three-foot long composition on the 'Medieval Assembly of European Wizards.'

"I don't believe it, I'm still six inches short," said Ron, furiously. He let go of the parchment with sprang back into a roll. "Hermione's done four-feet seven inches and her writing's _tiny_. Mandy did nearly four feet eleven inches and Michael has done five feet."

Hailey looked at Ron, "Trust me Ron, they're overachievers. Where are they?"

Ron pointed, "I think Hermione is over there, looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the entire library before Christmas. Michael and Mandy are somewhere near the Restricted Restriction. Say, do you think something about the Chamber of Secrets is in there?"

"I don't even know where to start in there." Hailey responded, borrowing Ron's measuring tape to measure her parchment. "Justin Finch-Fletchley ran away from me when I was trying to say hi to him."

"Don't know why you care about him running away," Ron said. "I didn't know you fancy him." Hailey scoffed at that and Ron scribbled away, trying to make his handwriting as large as possible. "I always thought he was an idiot. He was going on about Lockhart being great—"

Hermione walked up, looking irritated. " _All_ the copies of _Hogwarts: A History_ have been taken out." She sat down in between Hailey and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"Have you read it anywhere?" Hailey asked her.

"That's just it. I can't remember," Hermione said. "And I can't find the story somewhere else. Check your common room. I'm sure it's in there somewhere."

"We can, if we can get through the horde of Ravenclaws to the bookshelves to look," Mandy said walking up with Michael.

Ron desperately checked his watch. "Can one of you smart people let me look at your composition?"

"No, I won't," Hermione said, severely. "You've had ten days to finish it—"

"Here," Michael said handing his roll to Ron, who unrolled it.

"Honestly, Michael," Hermione admonished. "How will Ron learn if you keep handing him the answers?"

"I have no problem with it," Ron said as he scribbled down lines. After that, he handed the parchment to Michael, when the bell rang.

With that, the five second-years left the library. Ron and Hermione where going to History of Magic, while the three Ravenclaws were going to Transfiguration.

As they headed to their classes, Hermione kept admonishing Michael about letting Ron copy off of him and how it's wrong to let people cheat.

Hailey told Ron, "Try asking Professor Binns about the Chamber of Secrets," before they went separate ways.

After they went separate ways, Michael said, "I never thought she'll be gone. She was annoying, like one of those little dogs that have a high-pitched bark that goes," he used a high-pitched voice, " _yip yip yip yip_."

In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall said, "can I have your attention please? Now today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets. Like so." she tapped the bird three times, "one, two, three. _Vera Verto_." A crystal clear mist came from the wand, engulfed the bird, and it transformed into a silver goblet. She walked up and down the aisles, "who would like to go first?" Mandy raised her hand. McGonagall grabbed a cage with a bird in it and removed the bird. She set the bird on the desk right in front of Mandy.

Mandy looked at Hailey and Michael. She rolled up the sleeves on her robes and tapped the bird three times, before saying, " _Vera Verto_." A crystal clear mist came from the wand, engulfed the bird, and it transformed into a silver goblet, right before their eyes.

"Well done, Miss Brocklehurst," McGonagall said, walking back to the desk, before Mandy raised her hand again. "Yes, Miss Brocklehurt?"

"Professor, I was wondering if you can tell us what the Chamber of Secrets is," Mandy said.

It seemed like the class sat up eagerly.

"Very well," McGonagall say. "Well, you all knew, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago, by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now three of the found co-existed quite harmoniously, one did not."

"I think we all know who that one is," Michael whispered to Hailey.

Professor McGonagall explained, "Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families—in other words, "pure-bloods". Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle, known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though shortly before departing, he sealed it…until that time when his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing, purge the school of all those who, in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns," Hailey whispered to herself in horror.

Professor McGonagall stated, "Well, naturally the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has been found."

"Professor," Mandy asked. "What exactly lies within the Chamber?"

Professor McGonagall answered, "Well, the Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home…of a monster."

The conversation ended at that, and the lesson continued.

When class ended, the three headed to Ravenclaw Tower to dump off their things before dinner.

"I always figured that Salazar Slytherin was loony," Mandy said. "I never really thought that he would be all about the pure-blood nonsense."

"Hiya Hailey!" Colin Creevy shouted among the crowd.

"Hullo Colin," Hailey responded monotonous.

"Hailey—Hailey—a boy in my class has been saying you're—" apparently he was couldn't fight through the crowd and they heard, "see ya, Hailey!"

"What has that boy been saying about in his class?" Mandy asked.

"That I'm probably the Heir of Slytherin," Hailey responded, remembering Justin's reaction to her.

"The people here will believe anything," Michael said, disgusted. Mandy looked at him and he looked back. "What?"

"Nothing about your classmates back at Muggle school believing anything?" Mandy asked jokingly.

Michael thought about it. "Well, there was a rumour that one of the girls there was a Satanist, and she got kicked out for 'blasphemy'." The two girls stared at him. "My parents forced me to go to a faith school. I think she started it, because she hated it there. I hated it to, so I got myself kicked out too, but it was for vandalizing the school walls."

Hailey couldn't help it, "if you hated it there, what was your reasoning for vandalizing Hogwarts walls with vulgar words?"

"A dare," Michael said. "D'you really think that there's a Chamber of Secrets?"

Mandy said, "I don't know. I think that since Dumbledore wasn't able to cure Mrs Norris, that whatever attacked her…wasn't human." They came across the corridor where the message and Mrs Norris was found.

Hailey started, "I guess…it can't hurt to look around, right?" She dropped her bag and got on her knees to look round. She saw some black marks, "scorch marks!" She pointed, "here, here, and over there!"

Michael and Mandy went to go look at the scorch marks.

"There you are!" Hermione said, "What are you three doing?"

"Looking for clues," Hailey said.

Hermione looked around and Ron went to crouch down by Hailey. He asked, "Scorch marks?"

"Come and look at this! This is funny…" Hermione said. Hailey, Mandy, and Michael went to go stand by Hermione to see what she was pointing out.

There were about twenty spiders scuttling by, apparently trying to fight to get through a crack in the window. A long, silvery thread dangled like a rope, as if they hurried to get outside.

"That's odd," Mandy said.

"Have any of you seen spiders act like that?" Hermione asked.

"No," Mandy and Michael said.

"Can't say I have," Hailey responded, remembering her cupboard. "Have you Ron?" She looked over her shoulder. "Ron?" He was standing back and looked like he was fighting the urge to run. "What's wrong?"

"I—don't—like—spiders," Ron explained, tensely.

Hermione seemed surprised, "I never knew that. You've used spiders in Potions loads of times…"

"I don't mind them dead," explained Ron, looking everywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the wall, they move…" Hailey understood. Some of the girls back when she went to Muggle school didn't like the way they moved. Also, a few guys there didn't like spiders either and one of them thought that spiders were unnatural.

Hermione was giggling as though Ron hating spiders was the funniest thing ever.

"It's not funny," Ron said fiercely. "It you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my—my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick…You wouldn't like them either, if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and—" he shuddered and Hailey knew that Ron had a point. She wouldn't like them either if she was suddenly holding a spider. Mandy was looking at Ron, sympathetic.

Hailey looked around. "That water came from Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. I reckon that she saw something. Come on, let's ask."

With that, the three girls snuck into the first floor lavatory, ignoring the _Out of Order_ sign _._

Hailey stopped and looked back over at the two boys who both stayed where they were. "What's wrong?"

"It's the girls' toilets," Ron stated. Hailey grabbed Ron and Michael's arms and dragged them inside.

Inside was gloomy and depressing inside. Under a large, cracked, and spotted mirror was a column of porcelain sinks, which seemed untouched with age. The floor was oddly damp and reflected the dull candlelight given off by stubs of candles in their holders. The wooden doors to the stalls were flaking and scratched. One of the doors was still hanging on its hinges.

Hermione put her finger to her lips and walked to the last stall. When she reached it, she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"

They went to follow after. Myrtle was floating above the tank, picking at a spot on her chin.

She looked at Ron and Michael, suspiciously, "This is a _girls'_ lavatory!" She looked at the three girls. " _They're_ not girls!"

"No," Hermione said. "We just wanted to show them how—er—nice it is in here." She waved at the dirty mirror and damp floor.

"Ask her if she saw anything," Michael whispered in Hailey's ear.

"What are you two whispering?" Myrtle asked, looking at them.

"Nothing," Michael said quickly. "We wanted to ask—"

"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" Myrtle said in a voice choked with sob. "I _do_ have feelings, you know, even if I _am_ dead—"

"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione.

Hailey started, "Michael only—"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now you come along ruining my death!"

"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately." Hailey said quickly, "because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much, I came in here and tried to _kill_ myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm—that I'm—"

"Already dead," Ron said helpfully.

Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose in the air, turned up, and dived headfirst into the toilet, splashed them with toilet water, and vanished from sight. From the direction of her sobs, it sounded like she was somewhere in the U-Bend.

Ron and Michael stood there, gaping. Hermione shrugged.

Mandy said, "That was almost cheerful for Myrtle. Let's go."

They left the lavatory and Michael was closing the door behind them when they heard a loud, "Ron!"

They turned to see Percy standing at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, and he looked shocked.

"That's a girls' lavatory," he gasped. "What were you—?"

"Just having a look around," Ron said shrugging. "Clues, you know—"

Percy swelled up and Hailey was oddly reminded of Mrs Weasley. "Get—away—from—there—" he strode forward and started to bustle them along, flapping his arms, that reminded Hailey of her uncle. "Don't you _care_ what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner—"

"Why shouldn't we be here?" asked Ron, hotly. He stopped short and glared at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"

"Should we go?" Michael asked the girls as the Weasley brothers argued. "I don't think we should be here."

"And I hope it teachers you a lesson! No more _detective work_ or I'll write to Mum!" Percy said.

As they headed to the Great Hall, Ron was busy seething, as Hermione and the three Ravenclaws discussed what they got from their professors about the Chamber of Secrets.

* * *

Later, the five were in the library doing homework together, and Ron was in a very bad mood, and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he grabbed his wand to remove the smudges, it ignited the parchment. Ron slammed _The Standard Book of Spells: Year 2_ shut and Hermione did the same, surprising the three Ravenclaws.

"Who can it be, though?" Hermione asked. "Who'd _want_ to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

Hailey had a few guesses, but before she can voice them, Ron said in mock puzzlement, "Let's think. Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?" He looked at Hermione, who looked back, unconvinced.

Hermione said, "If you're talking about Malfoy—"

"Of course I am!" said Ron, loudly. "You heard him—'You'll be next Mudbloods!'—come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him—"

"Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" asked Hermione skeptically.

Mandy closed her books, "Look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants."

"His father's definitely evil enough," Hailey said remembering Lucius Malfoy.

"What about the Parkinsons?" Michael asked.

"Have you seen the way Parkinson follows after Draco? She tried to rat us out to McGonagall about Norbert just to impress him," Hailey whispered to him.

"I can see her commanding a monster to attack Muggle-borns, just to impress Malfoy," Mandy said. "And Malfoy could be in on it."

"But wouldn't Malfoy be the one to follow her around because she can easily turn on him?" Michael asked.

"I highly doubt Malfoy would be willing to follow Parkinson around," Hailey said. "I bet he's the one that's telling her who to attack."

"Yeah, but there's always the chance it could be Malfoy. He's the one that openly antagonizes us the most. His family could have the key and they pass it from father to son," Ron said.

"Well, I suppose it is possible," Hermione said.

"But how do we prove it?" Ron asked darkly.

"I think there's a way," Michael said.

Mandy caught on, "It'll be extremely difficult."

"And dangerous, very dangerous," Hailey said, thinking about the Polyjuice Potion that Snape mentioned a few weeks ago.

Hermione said, "We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect—"

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let me know, won't you?" Ron asked irritably.

"All we need is some Polyjuice Potion, sneak into the Slytherin common room, and ask Malfoy a few questions," Mandy said.

"What's that?" Ron asked confused.

Michael explained, "It's a potion that basically transforms you into someone else. Snape mentioned it a few weeks ago—"

"This Polyjuice stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," Ron interrupted. "What if we were stuck looking like Slytherins forever?"

"It wears off after a while," Hermione said waving her hand, "but getting a hold of it will be very difficult."

"It's in a book called _Moste Potente Potions_ and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section," Hailey told him.

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really, if we weren't trying to make one of the potions," Ron said.

"If we make it sound as though we were just interested in the theory of the potions…" Mandy trailed off.

"Oh, come on, no one's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They're going to have to be really thick…"


	10. The Rogue Bludger

Ever since the disastrous day with the pixies, Lockhart never brought live creatures back to class. Since then, Lockhart had read excerpts from his books and used Hailey to enact the more dramatic bits, much to the Slytherins amusement, and much to her, Michael, and Mandy's annoyance. Hailey had pretended to be: a simple, Babbling cursed Transylvanian villager that Lockhart cured, a yeti with a head-cold, and a vampire that can eat nothing but lettuce after 'Lockhart dealt with him'.

In their next Defense class after they agreed to make the Polyjuice Potion and to get a note signed, Lockhart asked, "Now, who wants to volunteer to reenact the defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf?" He looked around the classroom and he looked at Hailey.

Michael grabbed onto Hailey's arm as if that would keep her from getting hauled up to the front. In a way, Hailey was dreading going to the front, but somehow she got hauled up to the front anyway. She would've said no, but considering that they needed Lockhart's signature to check out _Moste Potente Potions_ , she decided to play along to butter Lockhart up.

"Now nice loud howl, Hailey—" Lockhart urged and Hailey nearly rolled her eyes, but she tried to howl, loudly ignoring the way Malfoy and Parkinson were trying to cover their laughter. "—exactly—and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced—like this— _slammed_ him to the floor—" with that, Hailey was forced to lay on the floor, "—thus—with one hand, I managed to hold him down—" Lockhart placed himself at an odd angle, half laying on her and half on the floor. He continued, "—with my other, I put my wand to his throat—" he put his wand to her throat, and from the corner of her eye, she noticed Mandy and Michael both sit up straighter in their seats, as if preparing just in case Lockhart's wand pulled a Ron Weasley and backfire.

"I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex, Hormorphus Charm—he let out a piteous moan—go on, Hailey," Lockhart urged. Hailey groaned out of embarrassment instead and Lockhart said, "—higher than that—" Hailey tried to let out a higher pitched groan, "—good—the fur vanished—the fangs shrank—and he turned back into a man—" Hailey rolled her eyes, knowing better as Lockhart continued, "simple, yet effective—and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks." Again, Hailey rolled her eyes and the bell rang. Lockhart jumped to his feet and Hailey was glad to get rid of the weight. "Homework—compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of _Magical Me_ to the author of the best one!"

Hailey went to the back as the class was leaving. Pansy pushed Hailey out of the way using her shoulder and Hailey heard Malfoy snicker, before shoving past the Ravenclaws, as well. They waited till the class was empty and the three Ravenclaws approached Lockhart's desk.

Mandy holding onto a piece of paper, and she stammered, "Er—Professor Lockhart? I wanted to—to get this book out of the library—just for background reading." She held out the paper to Lockhart, "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section and a teacher has to sign for it. I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in _Wanderings with Werewolves_ better, about the transformation process—"

Lockhart took the note, "Ah, _Wanderings with Werewolves_! My second favourite behind _Gadding with Ghouls_! You enjoyed it?"

Mandy hesitated before saying, "Oh, yes. It was so brave, the way you fought with the werewolf—"

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the second best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly and Mandy looked a little irritated. He pulled out a enormous peacock quill and Hailey noticed that Michael's eye twitched a little. "Yes, nice, isn't it? I usually save it for book signings."

 _Oh, good to know,_ Hailey thought sarcastically.

Mandy folded the note, right as Lockhart looked at Hailey, "So, Hailey. Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Ravenclaw against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker for Ravenclaw, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if you ever feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players…"

Michael snorted, before they hurried out of the classroom. "Can you believe that guy? It's like he wants to be everywhere."

"I can't believe that he didn't even _look_ at the book we wanted to check out." Hailey replied, looking at the paper in Mandy's hand.

"That's because he's a brainless git," Michael said. "He's making Ravenclaws look bad, too."

Hailey was reminded of last term, where Michael said the same thing about Quirrell. "Let's hope that next term, he won't be here and that it's not another Ravenclaw." She was positive that she couldn't put up with Lockhart for another term, especially with him clinging to her like a cheap suit.

They walked inside the library and up to the desk where Madam Pince was at. Mandy handed the note over to the librarian. "We want to check out _Moste Potente Potions_."

" _Moste Potente Potions_?" Madam Pince repeated, trying to take the note from Mandy.

Mandy held on, "Can I have it back? I was thinking of giving it to Hermione."

Michael grabbed the note from his friend. "We'll get Hermione an autograph some other time. We all know he'll sign anything if you asked."

Madam Pince held the note up to the light as if she was trying to detect a forgery and it passed the test. She walked by the shelves and returned holding a large, moldy looking book. Mandy placed the book carefully in her book bag, and they walked away, trying not to look suspicious or guilty.

A few minutes later, they found themselves in Moaning Myrtle's lavatory, where Hermione and Ron were waiting. Hailey turned to the door, took out her wand, and said, " _Colloportus,_ " before going to where her friends stood.

Mandy passed the spell book to Hermione, who started turning pages, and Hailey tried to ignore Myrtle's noisy cries.

Hailey watched as Michael looked at the toilet stalls and said, dryly, "Don't even think about writing on the stalls."

"This is the most complicated potion I've even seen," said Hermione before Michael can reply to Hailey's comment. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass." She ran her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves…Ooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn—don't know where we're going to get that—shredded skin of a boomslang—that'll be tricky, too—and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" asked Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it—"

"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last…" Hermione said as if she hadn't heard him.

"That's a lot to steal," Mandy said, grabbing at her headband. "I reckon that shredded skin of a boomslang isn't in the student cupboards. What are we going to do? Break into Snape's private stores? I'm not sure this is a good idea."

Michael was looking a little ill, "I agree with Mandy."

Hermione shut the book with a snap. "Well, if you want to chicken out, that's fine. _I_ don't want to break rules, you know. _I_ think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion, but if you two don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, that's fine. We won't hold it against you two, right Hailey?"

Hailey looked at Mandy and Michael. It was a little jarring to see Michael backing out, considering that he had thrown a unicorn blood covered shirt at Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest last term. Especially since Hermione was willing to break the rules. "It's all right. You two can leave if you want."

"I never thought I'll see the day where Hermione is encouraging rule-breaking." Mandy said, "I'm in."

"I guess I'll stay, as long as I don't drink the potion that has Goyle's toenails in it," Michael said, looking a little disgusted at the thought.

"How long will it take to make anyway?" Hailey asked.

Hermione opened the book. "Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days…" She looked the instructions. "I'd say it'd be ready in a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

Ron looked incredulous, "A month?"

"Malfoy or Parkinson could have attacked half of the school by then," Michael said. Hermione narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "But it's the best plan that we've got, so let's continue, I guess."

While Hermione went to go unlock the door that Hailey sealed, Ron whispered to Hailey, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you knocked Malfoy off of his broom tomorrow."

* * *

Early Saturday morning, Hailey woke up early. She lay there, thinking about the Quidditch match. She wasn't entirely sure what Roger would say about losing to Slytherin, but then again, her House was known for not being the best at Quidditch, which they can poke fun at. She was dreading the idea of facing a team on fast brooms, and she really wanted to beat Slytherin so she can rub Malfoy's face in it too. That was also a bonus.

After a while, she got up and made her way to breakfast where the Ravenclaw Quidditch team was sitting at the long table. The team was looking oddly solemn and grim. Hailey joined them and managed to eat a bit of toast.

* * *

When eleven approached it seemed like the entire school was making its way to the stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. Hermione, Ron, Mandy, and Michael came over to wish them good luck. After they left, Roger started his usual pre-game pep talk.

"Alright men and woman…We're going to crush our opponents into the dirt. Not literally, but it certainly won't hurt to try, even thought Slytherin has better brooms than us. Win or die trying." Roger looked at them as if threatening to win. He looked at Hailey, "You better get that Snitch before Malfoy does or crush him into the dirt if you have to."

As they walked onto the pitch, there was a roar of noise. Gryffindor and Hufflepuff seemed anxious for them to beat Slytherin. Ravenclaw was cheering and Hailey spotted what looked like a live eagle perched on Luna's head, which was flapping its wings.

"Is that a real eagle?" Duncan Inglebee asked staring at the hat.

"I don't know," Hailey replied back.

Roger and Flint, the Slytherin captain, gripped each other's hands rather harder than necessary.

There was a whistle and fourteen broomsticks went airborne. Hailey flew higher than the rest to spot the Snitch.

"All right there Scarhead?" Malfoy shouted as he shot underneath her, as if trying to show off the speed of the broom.

A Bludger came at her, so she swerved it time for it to avoid hitting her. It ruffled her hair as it passed.

"Close one, Hailey!" shouted Jason Samuels streaking past her. He was holding the club, ready to hit the Bludger to the Slytherins. She watched as Jason whacked the Bludger to Adrian Pucey. However the Bludger swerved in mid-air and came back for her!

Hailey dropped quickly to avoid it and Jason hit it towards Malfoy, but it changed direction and came for Hailey's head! She shot off towards the other end of the pitch and she heard the Bludger whistling along behind her.

When she got to the other end of the pitch, Duncan hit it as he can. It flew off course and Duncan smiled, "Got it!"

The Bludger came after Hailey once again.

In the stands, Michael and Mandy were watching the entire thing through binoculars, confused.

"What is going on with that bloody Bludger?" Mandy asked confused, wiping rain from her face.

"It could have been tampered with," Michael said as Hailey shot off in a different direction.

"It couldn't have been. I think it's been locked in Madam Hooch's office," Mandy replied.

It looked like Jason was trying to stop the Bludger from breaking Hailey's nose.

Michael looked into the stands, trying to see if any of the professors were pulling a Quirrell and jinxing the Bludger to attack Hailey, continuously. It looked like the professors weren't paying attention to what was happening to Hailey.

Mandy growled, "I hate that we're losing."

Michael looked at the game to see that the Ravenclaws were in a huddle debating something as the Slytherins pointed and seemed like they were laughing. Michael rolled his eyes at the Slytherins. They wouldn't be laughing if the Bludger chased after Malfoy. Malfoy would be threatening to tell his father about the Bludger chasing him.

"Whatever they're saying, it looks like Hailey is refusing," Mandy said.

Michael looked to watch the huddle and Madam Hooch strode up to them. He watched as whatever what was said caused the game to continue.

"I hope that Hailey knows what she's doing," Michael stated anxiously.

The rain was coming down harder and they watched as the Bludger came at her again.

She looped, swooped, zigzagged, spiraled, and rolled. She hung upside down as the Bludger dove at her.

"I seriously hope that she knows what she's doing," Mandy said.

Michael nodded, his heart beating rapidly, "Me too."

It seemed like Hailey was turning and looping, like some sort of roller-coaster type thing, to throw the Bludger off. She stopped and stayed put.

Michael inhaled sharply as the Bludger flew right by her. She turned and flew off in the opposite direction.

She did, in Michael's opinion, a stupid looking twirl in the air. It looked like Malfoy said something to her and laughed.

"One of these days, I'm going to punch Malfoy in the face," Mandy said.

"I was thinking the exact same thing," Michael replied.

"I think she found the Snitch!" Mandy shouted sounding excited.

Michael watched as Hailey reached for the Snitch, and the Bludger flew into her arm, almost throwing her off the broomstick. He winced, "Oh, god!" He closed his eyes and tried to get rid of the mental image.

"Ooh," Mandy groaned. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Me too," he agreed. He watched as she reached with her other hand, and she fell forward off the broom. She rolled onto her back.

"Quick, let's see if she's all right," Mandy said dragging Michael from his seat.

"Hailey Potter caught the Snitch! Ravenclaw wins!" Lee Jordan's voice rang out as the two second-years headed towards the field to check on Hailey.

The Bludger came down and Hailey rolled out of the way. Michael pulled out his wand as the Bludger went up and back down on the ground. Hailey rolled out of the way again and he pointed at it, as the rogue Bludger went in the air. " _Finite Incantatem_!"

Two streams of red light hit the Bludger right at the same time, shattering it.

"I don't know what is odd. That you and Hermione both had the same idea, or the fact that it seems like you both operate with the same brain waves," Mandy said, holding out her wand as well.

Hermione seemed to size Michael up over hitting the Bludger with the same spell at the same time.

"Well, I was faster," Michael stated as he, Mandy, two Gryffindors, and Hagrid gathered around Hailey, who was holding her arm.

Lockhart pushed through them to get to Hailey.

"Oh, no, not you," Hailey said, backing up.

"Doesn't know what she's saying," Lockhart said to the now forming crowd of Ravenclaws. "Not to worry, Hailey. I'm about to fix your arm."

Hailey could've sworn she heard Stephen and Colton snicker at the thought of Lockhart fixing something. Now that she thought about it, some of the other Ravenclaws seemed unimpressed at the thought of Lockhart doing magic. She backed up, " _No_! I think I'll keep my arm like this." There was a clicking noise and she rolled her eyes at Colin. "And I _don't_ want a picture of this, Colin!"

Lockhart continued, as if he didn't hear Hailey's protests, he tried to sound soothing, "Lie back, Hailey. It's a simple charm I've used countless of times—"

"Luna could mend broken bones!" Colton suddenly shouted, "Well, its more like broken toes, but I'm sure that it's not that different from a broken arm."

"She should go to the hospital wing," Michael said.

"I trust the girl with the eagle on her head more than Lockhart," Mandy whispered to Michael, glancing at Luna, who was standing next to Colton.

"Can I just go to the hospital wing already?" Hailey asked, feeling overwhelmed by the Gryffindors showing up. Fred and George were looking concerned and Hailey was a little touched at that.

Roger Davies looked at Lockhart, "You really should let her go, Professor."

"Stand back," Lockhart said.

"What?" It seemed like the entirety of the Ravenclaws and some Gryffindors asked that at the same time.

"No—don't," Hailey protested.

" _Brackium_ … _Emendo_!" Lockhart shouted, twirling his wand, and bringing it down. There was a blue light and Hailey felt a strange and unpleasant feeling in her arm, which spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt like her arm was being deflated.

Lockhart held out Hailey's arm, which made a funny squelching sound and it hung out weirdly because there weren't any bones in there. It looked like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove. The crowd made a disgusted sound, and Hailey felt like she was going to be sick.

Lockhart said, "Yes, well, that sometimes happen. The point is…you can no longer feel pain." He pulled Hailey's hand back all the back way to her arm, much Hailey's disgust again. "The bones are no longer broken."

Mandy was now glaring at Lockhart.

"Broken?" Hagrid exclaimed, "There's no bones left!"

"Much more flexible though," Lockhart muttered and he looked at the crowd. "Ah, Miss Granger and Miss Brocklehurst, Mr Weasley and Mr Corner—would you escort her?" He looked at Hailey, "Madam Pomfrey—will—er—tidy—you up a bit."

Ron helped Hailey to her feet, which caused her to sway a little, due to being a little lopsided. Together, the five started walked to the hospital wing, but Michael was to busy examining Hailey's arm. He kept grabbing at it and wiggling the fingers, to be of any use. He pulled Hailey's fingers all the way back and they flopped forward.

"Stop that," Hermione hissed at him.

Hailey rolled her eyes, "Michael, leave my arm alone."

* * *

"You should've come straight to me!" Madam Pomfrey raged, holding up the limp arm.

"We tried, but Lockhart held us up," Ron stated.

Madam Pomfrey continued, as if she didn't hear Ron. "I can mend bones in a second—but growing them back—"

"You will be able to, won't you?" Hailey asked desperately. She didn't want to know how Dudley would react if she came back to Number Four with a boneless arm. He would probably laugh his arse off.

"I will be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Hailey a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night."

Michael and Ron waited outside the curtain which was drawn around Hailey's bed, while Mandy and Hermione helped Hailey into her pajamas. It took a while and Mandy repeatedly saying, "Bloody useless thing," to stuff the rubbery arm into a sleeve.

"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron asked through the curtain, while Hermione was pulling Hailey's limp fingers through the cuff. "If Hailey had wanted a deboning she would have asked."

"Leave Hermione alone," Michael said.

"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Hailey?"

"No, but it doesn't do anything else either." Hailey said, swinging herself onto the bed with her arm flapping pointlessly.

The boys and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle that was labeled _Skele-Gro_. It was a large bottle with the top half with a ribcage and arm. The lid was in the shape of a skull and the bottom half was regular looking. Madam Pomfrey opened the bottle and poured out a little bit of the steaming potion in a cup. She said to Hailey, "You're in for a rough night, Potter. Regrowing bones is a nasty business." She passed the cup to Hailey, who took it. She took a gulp, before spitting it out at the taste. Michael and Ron stepped aside to avoid the spray and Hermione looked disgusted. "Well, what did you expect? Pumpkin juice?"

Hailey forced the potion down, which burnt her mouth and throat as it went down. It made her cough and splutter. Ron, Michael, and Hermione both helped her drink some water.

"At least we won," Mandy said.

"Better than Slytherin," Ron muttered. He smiled, "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face…he looked ready to kill."

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," Hermione said darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Hailey, sitting back onto the pillows. "I hope it tastes better than that stuff." She motioned to the bottle of Skele-Gro.

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.

The door burst open, to reveal a muddy, and soaking wet, Ravenclaw team, among them was Fred and George.

"Unbelievable flying, Hailey," said one of the Weasley twins. Hailey was sure it was George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."

They brought sweets, cakes, and bottles of pumpkin juice. Ron helped himself to some chocolate frogs and Mandy grabbed a Skeletal Sweet. It had the figure of a skeleton on it.

"I love these," Mandy said, grinning widely. "Eating one of these is guaranteed to make you do skeleton puns for an hour."

Michael took it from her and said flatly, "No."

Madam Pomfrey walked up to them and shouted, "This girl needs rest, she's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! _Out_!"

With that, Hailey was left alone with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pain in her limp arm.

* * *

Hailey suddenly woke up quite suddenly in the dark and yelped in pain. Her arm felt like large splinters and she thought that was what woke her up. She realized that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark, which horrified her.

"Get off!" She shouted and then she realized that it wasn't a person, but a creature. She recognized the wide eyes, " _Dobby_!"

The house-elf's goggling tennis ball eyes were peering at Hailey through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose. "Hailey Potter came back to school," he whispered. "Dobby warned and warned Hailey Potter. Ah, Miss, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Hailey Potter go back home when she missed the train?"

Hailey sat up on the pillows and pushed the sponge away. "What're you doing here? And how did you know I missed the train?" Dobby's lip trembled and Hailey realized something. "It was _you_! _You_ stopped the barrier from letting us through!"

"Indeed yes, Miss," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Hailey Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward." He showed Hailey ten long, bandaged fingers, "but Dobby didn't care, Miss, for he thought Hailey Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Hailey Potter would get to school another way!" Dobby was rocking backward and forward, shaking his head. "Dobby was so shocked when he heard Hailey Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, Miss."

Hailey was a little horrified and she slumped back onto the pillow. "You nearly got Ron and me expelled." She looked at Dobby, "You'd better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."

Dobby smiled weakly, "Dobby is used to death threats, Miss. Dobby gets them five times a day at home." He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase, looking so pathetic, that Hailey felt bad for the house-elf. She wasn't sure what to do to help Dobby with his situation. She didn't want him to go back to his owner's house, but she knew that she didn't have any authority over Dobby.

Dobby mopped his eyes and said, "Hailey Potter _must_ go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make—"

" _Your_ Bludger?" asked Hailey angry. "What d'you mean, _your_ Bludger? _You_ made that Bludger try and kill me?"

"Not kill you, Miss, never kill you!" said Dobby and Hailey wasn't reassured by that. "Dobby wants to save Hailey Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain her, Miss! Dobby only wanted Hailey Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

"Oh, is that all?" Hailey asked, angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell _why_ you want me sent home in pieces?"

"Ah, if Hailey Potter only knew!" Dobby said, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, to the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, Miss! We house-elves were treated like vermin, Miss! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, Miss," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase. "But mostly, Miss, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Hailey Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, Miss, and Hailey Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the dark days would never end, Miss. And now at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Hailey Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more—"

Dobby froze, horror-struck, then grabbed the water jug from the bedside table, and cracked it over his own head. He toppled out of sight and Hailey was briefly horrified. Dobby crawled back onto the bed, cross-eyed, and muttering, "bad Dobby, very bad Dobby…"

"So there _is_ a Chamber of Secrets?" Hailey whispered to herself. "And—did you say it's been opened _before_? _Tell_ me, Dobby!" Dobby's hand inched towards the water jug and Hailey grabbed Dobby's wrist, noticing that it was bony. "But I'm not Muggle-born—how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"

"Ah, Miss, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Hailey Potter must not be here when they happen—go home, Hailey Potter, go home. Hailey Potter must not meddle in this, Miss, 'tis too dangerous—"

"Who is it, Dobby?" Hailey asked, keep a firm hold on Dobby's wrist, to keep him from hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"

"Dobby can't, Miss, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Hailey Potter, go home!"

"I'm not going anywhere," Hailey said fiercely. "One of my best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened—"

"Hailey Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Hailey Potter must not—" He froze, his ears quivering. Hailey frowned and heard the footsteps coming down the passageway. "Dobby must go!" he sounded terrified. Dobby faded from air, and Hailey was left clutching onto air.

She slumped back onto the bed and kept her eyes on the doorway.

Dumbledore was backing into the hospital wing carrying what looked like a statue. He was wearing a long dressing gown and a nightcap. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later carrying it's feet. Together, they heaved the statue onto the bed.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbeldore and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Hailey's bed, out of sight. Hailey lay quite still, trying to give the appearance that she asleep. She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered, bending over the bed.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter."

Hailey felt her heart sped up at the thought. Slowly and carefully, she raised herself a few inches so she can look at the statue on the bed. There was a ray of moonlight on its face and she saw that it was Colin Creevey. His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think…If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate—who know what might have—"

The three stared down at Colin and Dumbledore wrenched the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.

"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" asked Professor McGonagall eagerly.

Dumbledore opened the back of the camera. A jet of steam hissed out and Hailey, three beds down, caught the smell of burnt plastic.

"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey, "Melted. All melted…"

"What does this _mean_ , Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

"It means that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again," said Dumbledore.

Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledfore, "But, Albus…surely… _who_?"

"The question is not _who_. The question is, _how_ …?" said Dumbledore staring at Colin.

From what Hailey could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand it any better than her.

* * *

A/N: On the Harry Potter wikia page, there was something called Skeletal Sweets, and I decided that it would be funny to have them enchanted where one has to say skeleton puns for an hour, after eating just one.


	11. The Dueling Club

Hailey woke up on Sunday morning to find the hospital wing in winter sunlight and her arm reboned, but very stiff. She turned to look at Colin's bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains she had dressed behind yesterday. Seeing that she was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching Hailey's arm and fingers.

"All in order," Madam Pomfrey said, as Hailey clumsily fed herself porridge left-handed. "When you've finished eating, you may leave."

Hailey dressed as quickly as she could and hurried off to Ravenclaw Tower, to tell Mandy and Michael about Colin and Dobby, but found that they weren't in there. She figured that they were in the library with Ron and Hermione went there. Maybe they were busy with something in there that they forgot to check in on her. As she went to the library, Percy Weasley was strolling out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they met, but still a little annoyed.

"Oh, hello, Hailey," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Ravenclaw has just taken the lead for the House Cup—you earned fifty points! Although I would prefer Gryffindor taken the lead—"

"Have you see Ron, Hermione, Mandy, or Michael?" Hailey interrupted anxiously.

Percy's smile faded, "No, I haven't. I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet…"

Hailey forced a laugh, and watched as Percy walked out of sight, and then headed straight for Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. She tried the door, but it was locked. She pulled out her wand and said, " _Alohomora_."

The door opened and she walked in. "Hey, are you all in here?"

There was a clunk and a splash in a stall. Hermione's eye peered through the opening between the door and wall. "Hailey! You gave us such a fright—come in—how's your arm?"

"Fine," she said. She wasn't sure how five people were going to fit in the stall, but she managed to squeeze in. She was pressed against the wall next to Mandy and right across from Ron, on the left, if one walked in the stall. Michael was between the stall wall and toilet. His arms were crossed and he was looking displeased at something. Hermione was across from him, looking at the cauldron.

The cauldron was old and was perched on the toilet lid. There was a crackling fire under the rim, which told Hailey that they had lit a fire beneath it. Conjuring up portable, waterproof fire was a specialty of Hermione's.

"We'd've come to meet you, but we all decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron said, as he tried to lock the stall again. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

Hailey tried to explain what happened to Colin, but Hermione interrupted, "We already know—we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided that we'd better get going—"

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match that he took it out on Colin."

"There's something else," Hailey said, watching Hermione and Michael tear bundles of knotgrass and throwing them into the potion. Michael was viciously tearing the knotgross, until Hermione took it from him and gave him a sharp look.

"Sorry," said Michael.

"Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night," Hailey continued. The four looked at her, and Hailey told them everything Dobby had told him—or hadn't told them.

Mandy's jaw had dropped, "The Chamber of Secrets was opened before?"

"This settles it. Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's notice it sneaking around the school," Ron said, triumphantly.

"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, smacking Michael's hand away at he prodded the leeches harshly to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself—pretend to be a suit of armour or something—I've read about Chameleon Ghouls—"

"You read too much, Hermione," said Ron, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. He crumpled up the empty bag and looked at Hailey. "So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm." He shook his head, "You know what, Hailey? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."

"I kind of figured that out," Hailey said, watching as Hermione wrestled the spoon from Michael's grip. She looked at Michael, "What's going on with you?"

"He got a letter and then he started acting like that. Won't tell us what's bothering him," Mandy asked.

"I won't be able to stay for Christmas," Michael said. "My mum is dragging me home because my cousin, Eva—" he cut himself off.

"Oh," the others replied.

Hailey felt awkward, "Sorry for your loss."

"She's not dead," Michael said, looking at them. "She got kicked out because her parents realized she's a witch. Next term, she will be starting here. My parents want me to be with her for Christmas."

"Your aunt and uncle did what?" Mandy asked flatly. Her face was turning pink, out of anger.

"My grandmother kind of raised my mum and my aunt to be deeply religious. When my mum turned out to be a witch, Aunt Temperance turned out to be a Muggle. Aunt Temperance turned highly jealous and bitter, and turned to religion really hard. So, she decided that she would stay in touch with my mum, if my mum never spoke about being a witch because it was deeply against her beliefs and due to jealousy. I guess my mum was ingrained to never speak out about her being a witch because…I guess she got some backlash against it from her mother and sister. So, I think that's why my mum never told me about magic. I don't know her line of thinking. We never really spoke about it at Christmas or over the summer holidays. Aunt Temperance married a man, who was also deeply ingrained with religion, too.

I guess Eva has been showing signs of being a witch for a while, but they have been writing it off as coincidences. There was this incidence where Eva and Aunt Temperance got into this big argument and all of the dishes shattered. That was when Aunt Temperance knew that Eva was a witch. So, Aunt Temperance and Uncle Raphael kind of freaked out and threw Eva out. My aunt and uncle disowned my ten year old cousin and kicked her out of the house," Michael explained, sounding bitter.

Hailey wasn't sure how to respond. She was thankful that the Dursleys didn't kick her out of Privet Drive or dropped her off at an orphanage.

"Oh, god," Mandy said, "Poor Eva. If I met her, I would give her a hug."

"She would probably smack you if you randomly hugged her," Michael said.

"Let's just get out of here," Ron said, motioning to the toilet stall. "It's getting a little stuffy in here."

* * *

By Monday, Colin Creevey's attack and the news of him laying as if dead in the hospital wing, traveled through the school. There was rumours and suspicion. The first-years seemed to travel in tight-knit groups, as if scared they would be attacked too, while going alone.

From what Ron and Hermione told her, Ginny Weasley sat next to Colin in Charms, and was distraught. Fred and George were trying to cheer up Ginny by taking turns by jumping out from behind statues, covered in fur or boils. They stopped when Percy, filled with rage, told them he was going to write to their mother and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.

Hailey had came across four students trading talismans, amulets, and other protective devices. Neville bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail. Colton had pointed out that he was in no danger because he was a pureblood and it was unlikely he was going to be attacked.

"They went for Filch first," Neville had said fearfully, "and everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

* * *

In the second week of December, Professor McGonagall came around, collecting names of those who be staying at school for Christmas. Hailey, Ron, Hermione, and Mandy signed her list, since they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which seemed suspicious. They decided that the holidays would be the perfect time to try and use the Polyjuice Potion to worm a confession out of him.

Unfortunately the potion was only half-finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin. Hailey knew that the only place to get it was from Snape's private stores. Mandy said that she would rather face Slytherin's monster than face the wrath from Snape if he found out they stole from him.

On Thursday afternoon at lunch, Hermione said, briskly, "What you need is a diversion. One of you can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need." She passed the Ravenclaws a list of ingredients that they needed.

"I think I'd better do the actual stealing. You two will be expelled if you get into any more trouble. I've got a clean record. So all you two need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so," Mandy said.

Hailey smiled feebly. She figured causing mayhem in Snape's class was probably as safe as stealing food from Dudley's plate.

Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about the Ravenclaws work, while the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Michael and Hailey. They knew that if they retaliated, they would get detention.

Hailey was trying to keep her Swelling Solution from getting to watery, and she hardly listened as Snape paused to sneer at it, before going along to criticize Stephen. Mandy caught Hailey's eye and nodded. She nudged Michael and he took out one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks. He gave it a quick prod with his wand and the firework began to fizz and sputter. He straightened up and took aim. He threw it in the air, which landed right on target into Goyle's cauldron.

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell, Golyed blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate—Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what happened. Through the confusion, Hailey watched as Mandy crouched down and snuck into Snape's office.

Through the chaos, Snape roared, "Silence! Silence! Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draught—when I find out who did this—"

Hailey watched as Malfoy hurried forward, his head dropping with the weight of his nose, which was the size of a small melon. Half the class went forward; some weighed down with arms the size of clubs, and some who can't talk through gigantic, puffed-up lips.

Mandy returned, the front of her robes bulging at weird angles. When the various amounts of swelling went down, Snape went over to Goyle's cauldron and pulled out the blackened, twisted remains of the firework. The class went suddenly quiet.

"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered. "I shall make sure that person is expelled."

Hailey tried to make her face look as puzzled as possible. Snape's eyes were directly on her and Michael. Ten minutes later after the bell rang, they tried to keep their pace matching the others, but broke off as soon as they got to the stairs.

"He knew it was Michael," Hailey said, as they went to Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. "I could tell."

Mandy threw the ingredients in the cauldron and began to stir it vigorously. "I think it would be ready in two weeks. Besides, he can't prove that it was Michael who threw it."

"I think he was looking at you," Michael said to Hailey.

"He was looking at the both of you," Mandy said. "What can he do to you both?"

"Something really foul," Michael stated flatly.

* * *

A week later, Hailey, Ron, Hermione, Michael, and Mandy were walking across the entrance hall when they spotted a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" exclaimed Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days."

Hailey wondered if Colton was going to a meeting.

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" asked Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. He looked at the other four, "Could be useful." They walked inside the Great Hall for dinner. "Shall we go?"

"I think I heard something about Professor Flitwick being a good duelist," Mandy said. "I think it could be something about how he was a dueling champion when he was young."

"It could be Colton's mother," Hailey said, remembering what Colton told her when she entered the common room.

"I wouldn't mind learning how to duel from Professor Flitwick," Michael said. "It might be fun."

For dinner, all it seemed like the other students could do was talk about the Dueling Club and who might be teaching them. Most of the Ravenclaws were deciding that Professor Flitwick was going to be the teacher because of him being a dueling champion.

There was minor talk about how they hoped it wasn't Lockhart, but it was mostly excited chatter.

* * *

At eight, the three Ravenclaws and two Gryffindors stepped into the Great Hall, which has been decorated with a long golden stage, with thousands of floating candles overhead. The long tables were gone and the ceiling was velvety black.

"I hope it's not—" Hailey groaned when she saw Lockhart standing on the stage, wearing deep plum-coloured robes. Snape was standing beside him wearing black robes.

"This guy is everywhere," Ron muttered.

Lockart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather around, gather around! Can anyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I have done on countless occasions—for full details, see my published books."

"He can barely duel pixies," Mandy whispered to them.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, smiling widely. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin."

"I bet you five Sickles that Snape agreed so he can kick Lockhart's arse," Hailey whispered to Michael.

"I think we all know that," Michael said.

"Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry-you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!" Lockhart continued.

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron whispered in Hailey's ear.

"I think I would rather have Snape finish Lockhart off so Lockhart can get off of Hailey's back," Mandy whispered to them.

Hailey looked at Michael, "five Sickles that Snape sends Lockhart flying down the stage."

"Five Sickles that Snape turns Lockhart into something really disgusting," Michael said.

Snape's upper lip was curling and Hailey wondered why Lockhart was still smiling. If Snape looked at her like that, she would be running in the other direction as fast as she could, like Dudley and his gang were chasing after her.

Lockhart and Snape turned to each other. Lockhart bowed with as much hand twirling as possible. Snape jerked his head, as if irritated, not that Hailey blamed him for being irritated. The two adults raised their wands in front of them, like swords.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart explained. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

Snape had his teeth bared and Hailey whispered to her friends, "I wouldn't bet on that."

Lockhart said, "One—two—three—"

Both of them swung their wands over their heads and pointed them at each other. Snape cried, " _Expelliarmus!_ "

There was a flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backwards down the stage, hit the wall, and sprawled to the floor. His wand had flown into the crowd of Gryffindors.

Malfoy and some other Slytherins cheered.

Hailey kept an eye on Lockhart as she held out her hand to Michael, palm up. She wiggled her fingers, and said dryly, "Pay up, handsome."

There was a pause and Michael asked, "Do you have a Sickle?"

"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione asked.

"Who cares?" Michael, Ron, Mandy, and Hailey asked at the same time.

Hailey felt the Sickles drop in her hands. Michael said, almost sarcastically, "Here you go. Five Sickles, gorgeous."

Hailey looked at the coins in her hand to see if there was five Sickles and stuck them in her messenger bag.

"You owe me a Sickle," Mandy hissed at Michael.

Lockhart stood up unsteadily, his hat had fallen off, and his wavy hair was standing on end. He trotted onto the platform, while saying, "Well, there you have it! That was a Disarming Charm—as you see, I've lost my wand—" a girl, who Hailey was positive was Lavender Brown, held out the wand to Lockhart. "—ah thank you Miss Brown—" Lockhart took the wand. "—yes, and excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been to easy—however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"

Hailey rolled her eyes and saw that Snape was looking murderous. Lockhart must've noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me—"

The two moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Flecthley, but Snape reached Hailey, Ron, Michael, and Mandy first.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," Snape sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Brocklehurst, you can go partner up with Cornfoot. Potter—" Hailey looked at Hermione and Michael. "I don't think so." He smiled coldly, "Mr Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter." He turned to Hermione, "You, Miss Granger—you can partner Miss Bulstrode. You, Mr Corner, can partner up with Mr Zabini." Hailey watched as Michael went to Blaise, almost dejectedly.

Hailey looked at Malfoy, who strutted over, smirking. Milicent walked behind him. She was large, square, and her jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile, which wasn't returned.

"Face you partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform, "And bow!" Hailey and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other. Lockhart continued, "Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to Disarm your opponents—only to disarm them—we don't want any accidents—one…two…"

Malfoy did a spell that made Hailey stumble backwards, making her feel like she got hit in the head with a saucepan.

She pointed her wand at Malfoy, " _Rictusempra!_ " The tickling charm had just came to mind.

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach, causing him to double up wheezing.

"I said Disarm only!" Lockhart shouted over the noise of battling students.

Malfoy was on his knees, laughing, and it seemed like he could barely move. Hailey considered hitting him with another spell, but figured that was unsportsmanlike.

" _Tarantallegra!_ " choked Malfoy and Hailey's legs began to jerk out of her control in a kind of quickstep.

Lockhart screamed, "Stop! Stop!" However, the class was out of his control.

" _Finite Incantatem!_ " Snape shouted, taking charge. Hailey's legs stopped moving and Malfoy stopped laughing, long enough to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Neville and Justin were on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, Stephen was helping Mandy up from the floor, and Michael was standing with his arms crossed as Zabini shakily stood up from the ground. Hermione and Millicent were still moving, because Millicent had Hermione in some sort of headlock.

Hailey went forward and grabbed at Millicent. She was bigger than her and built like a brick house. Michael went over and helped Hailey with Millicent. Millicent was thicker than Michael, but they managed to get the Slytherin girl off of Hermione.

"Dear, dear," Lockhart said, walking through the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go Macmillan…" Hailey was positive that Colton used some type of jinx to hold Ernie, who was a blond stout Hufflepuff, upside down in the air, before dropping him. Lockhart turned to Susanna Fawcett who was bleeding profusely from her arm, "Careful there, Miss Fawcett. Pinch it hard, it'll stop the bleeding." He turned to Terry, who was on the ground, holding his stomach and groaning in pain. "Boot…"

Michael went to check on Terry, who he helped up. Terry was shaking from whatever spell the third year Ravenclaw hit him with.

"I thick I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells." said Lockhart, standing flustered in the middle of the room. He glanced at Snape, who's black eyes glinted and he looked away quickly. "Let's have a volunteer pair—Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you—"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," interrupted Snape. He walked over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's pink face went pinker and Colton grabbed his shoulder in comfort. Snape gave a twisted smile, "How about Malfoy and Potter?"

"Again?" Michael whispered to Hailey.

"Excellent idea!" exclaimed Lockhart, gesturing for Hailey and Malfoy to get onto the platform.

"Good luck," Michael whispered to her.

Hailey passed her messenger bag to Michael before stepping forward.

"Now, Hailey," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this." He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it.

 _I'd rather get hit before I even attempt to do_ that, Hailey thought as Lockhart quickly picked it up.

"Whoops—my wand is a little overexcited—" Lockhart lied quickly.

Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked too. Hailey looked at Lockhart, considering asking him how to do the blocking thing.

Malfoy taunted, "Scared Potter?"

Hailey looked him dead in the eye, "You wish, Malfoy."

Lockhart cuffed Hailey on the shoulder, "Just do what I did, Hailey!"

"What? Drop my wand?" Hailey asked confused.

Lockhart didn't listen as he shouted, "three—two—one—go!"

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, " _Serpensortia!_ "

" _Pet_ —" Hailey started, but watched as the end of Malfoy's exploded and a long black snake came from the end of it. It fell heavily to the floor and there were screams.

"Don't move, Potter," Snape said, in a lazy manner, clearly enjoying the sight of Hailey being eye-to-eye with an angry snake. Hailey slowly raised her wand, ready to use the Freezing Charm on the snake and Malfoy. "I'll get rid of it…"

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang. The snake flew ten feet in the air and landed on the floor with a smacking sound. Enraged, the snake went to Justin and raised itself, teeth bared, ready to strike.

Hailey ran over to the snake, and quite stupidly, shouted, "Leave him alone!"

The snake slumped to the floor, as harmless as a garden hose, turned its eyes on her. She smiled, realizing that it wasn't going to hurt anyone. She looked at Justin, but he looked angry and scared instead. She was confused.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted, turned, and stormed out of the hall.

Snape walked up, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape was looking at Hailey, in a shrewed and calculating look, which Hailey didn't like.

It seemed like the crowd started muttering to themselves and someone tugged at Hailey's robes.

"Come on," Ron whispered in Hailey's ear. "Move—come on—"

Ron dragged her out of the Great Hall, Hermione, Mandy, and Michael following after.

People steered clear of them, as though they were afraid of catching something. Hailey was aware that something bad happened, but she wasn't sure what it was yet.

They went inside an empty classroom, and Ron pushed Hailey into a desk. "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?" Michael dropped Hailey's messenger back on Hailey's lap, but she barely noticed it, since her mind was racing at what happened. She wasn't entirely sure why Snape had Malfoy conjure a snake like that and she wasn't sure why Justin freaked out like that. "I'm a what?"

"A Parselmouth!" said Ron, "You can talk to snakes!"

Hailey blinked and thought about that time at the zoo. She figured that she was talking to the snake and the snake was responding to her without her realizing it. She figured she was thinking what the snake's expression said, and then she could've sworn she heard the snake thanking her. She replied, "Oh. It was the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally released this boa constrictor at the zoo. That was before I knew I was a witch. It told me that it never seen Brazil—"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

Hailey frowned, looking at the others, who were pale. "So? I bet loads of—oh. You all aren't Paselmouths either?"

"No," Mandy said. "This isn't good."

"It's not a common gift. Hailey, this is bad," Ron said.

"I told the snake to leave Justin alone," Hailey replied.

"Oh, that's what you said to it?" Ron asked.

Hailey frowned, "that's what I said to it."

"You were speaking Parseltongue," Mandy explained, "Snake language."

Ron said, "You could've been saying anything—no wonder Justin panicked, sounded like you were egging the snake on or something—"

"It was all kinds of creepy," Michael added and Hailey turned to look at him.

She noticed that they all were looking like someone had died. It all started to click into place.

"Salazar Slytherin could speak to snakes," Hermione interrupted in a hushed tone. "That's what he was famous for. It's why Slytherin's symbol is a serpent."

"Exactly," said Ron. "Now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-granddaughter or something—"

"But I'm not," countered Hailey panicking.

"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."

"Everyone's family history is deeply entwined with one another's, even the pure-bloods," Mandy said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we happen to be highly distant cousins, because my dad was a pure-blood as well; or Michael and I being highly distant cousins."

"You all know my mum's Muggle-born," Michael said.

"There was that magical blood somewhere in your mother's bloodline that caused her to be a witch," Mandy replied.

"All right," Hailey said slowly. She still didn't want to think about being the granddaughter of Salazar Slytherin.

* * *

Hailey lied in her bed that night, pouring over everything that happened. She couldn't be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, but then again, she knew nothing about her dad's bloodline. Mandy did say that the wizarding world's bloodline is deeply entwined.

Mandy and she could be distant cousins through her dad, because both of their dads' were pure-bloods.

She knew nothing about her dad's family, so there was the slight chance that she wasn't a descendant of Salazar Slytherin.

If I have Slytherin blood in me, would I have been put in Slytherin? Hailey wondered. She was considered for Gryffindor. She had to think about it. Malfoy's family has been in Slytherin for generations, they could be descended from Slytherin, but she was positive they didn't speak Parseltongue like her.

 _I really should dig into my family history_ , she thought.

* * *

The last Herbology class on the term was canceled because of a thick blizzard. Professor Sprout wanted to fit socks and scarves on the Mandrakes, an operation so tricky, she didn't trust anyone else to do it, now that they were important to revive Colin Creevey and Mrs Norris.

The Ravenclaws were in the common room, finishing up some work after snagging some rolls from the Great Hall.

Hailey wanted to set the story straight with Justin Finch-Fletchley over the thing at the Dueling Club. She could barely concentrate on her work, that it got to the point she was blotting her parchment with ink.

"Oh, for god's sake," Michael snapped out. "Go talk to him if it means so much to you."

"What crawled up your arse?" Mandy asked looking at Michael.

"The fact that I have to read that parchment," Michael said looking at the ink blots.

"All right, fine," Hailey said throwing her hands in the air. "Do any of you want to come with me?"

Mandy considered it, "I'll go. My butt is going numb."

Together the two girls left the common room, Hailey was unsure where to even find the Hufflepuff boy. She heard that Hufflepuffs were good finders after all.

"We should try the library, they're hard-workers," Mandy whispered to Hailey.

Everything was dark because of the blizzard, but they made it to the library.

A group of Hufflepuffs were sitting at a table in the back, their heads together, having what looked like an absorbing conversation. They couldn't see if Justin was among them and they began walking to them.

"So, anyway," Ernie was saying, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory."

The two Ravenclaws hid behind a bookshelf, which Hailey noticed was labeled 'Invisibility Section'.

"I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as her next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter's Gryffindor friends he was a Muggle-born. Justin actually told them he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heiress on the loose, is it?"

"You definitely think it is Potter, then, Ernie?" the blonde, pigtailed girl asked, anxiously.

"Hannah," said Ernie solemnly, "She's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one who could talk to snakes? They called Slytherin himself Serpent-tongue."

Hailey looked at Mandy, who nodded.

There was some murmuring at that and Ernie continued, "Remember what was written on the wall? Enemies of the Heir, Beware. Potter had some sort of run-in with Filch. Next thing we know, Filch's cat's attacked. That first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking picture of her while she was lying in the mud. Next thing we know—Creevey's been attacked."

"She always seems so nice, though," Hannah said, uncertainly, "And, well, she's the one who made You-Know-Who disappear. She can't be all bad, can she?"

"No one knows how she survived that attack by You-Know-Who," Ernie said, his voice lowered mysteriously. "I mean to say, she was only a baby when it happened. She should have been blasted into smithereens. Only a really powerful Dark wizard could have survived a curse like that." His voice lowered to where it was barely more than a whisper, "That's probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill her in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him. I wonder what other powers Potter's been hiding."

Mandy and Hailey both looked at each other.

"Interesting theory, really," Mandy whispered. She stepped forward and cleared her throat. From what Hailey could see, the Hufflepuffs looked Petrified, and it looked like the colour was draining from Ernie's face, "Hello. Hailey and I were just looking for Justin."

Hailey stepped forward to stand by Mandy. The Hufflepuffs looked at Ernie, fearfully.

"What do you want with him?" Ernie asked in a quavering voice.

"I wanted to tell him what really happened with the snake at the Dueling Club," Hailey responded, crossing her arms.

Ernie bit his lip and took a deep breath. "We were all there. We saw what happened."

"Then you noticed that after I spoke to it, the snake backed off?" Hailey asked.

"All I saw," said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling, "was you speaking Parseltongue and chasing the snake at Justin."

"I didn't chase it at him!" said Hailey, getting angry. "It didn't even touch him!"

"It was a very near miss," said Ernie. "And in case you're getting ideas," he add hastily, "I might tell you that you can trace my family back through nine generations of witches and warlocks and my blood's as pure as anyone's—"

"I don't care what sort of blood you've got!" Hailey said, fiercely. "Why would I want to attack Muggle-borns?"

"I've heard you hate those Muggles you live with," said Ernie, swiftly.

"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them," said Hailey. "I'd like to see you try it." She turned on her heel and stormed out of the library.

She was in such a fury; she walked into something solid, which knocked her backward right onto the floor.

"Hello, Hagrid," Mandy said running up to Hailey to help her friend.

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava. It couldn't have possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands. He pulled the balaclava from his face, "All righ', Hailey?"

"I'm all right," Hailey said. "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster. "Second one killed this term. It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop." He seemed to peer more closely at Hailey. "Yeh sure yeh're all righ'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered—"

Hailey and Mandy shared a look. Hailey really didn't want to repeat what Ernie and the rest of the Hufflepuffs have been saying about her.

"It's nothing," Mandy said. "We should get going."

"We have Charms next and we should go pick up our books," Hailey pointed out.

The both of them walked up and Hailey could still hear what Ernie said about her.

" _Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let slip to Potter's Gryffindor friends he was a Muggle-born."_

"I wouldn't put to much stock in the Hufflepuffs," Mandy said, as Hailey stomped up the stairs and through another corridor, which was oddly dark. "I know they're supposed to be kind, but one of their own was threatened and they're extremely loyal to their own. I would probably react the same way." They were halfway through the corridor when Hailey tripped headlong on something. Mandy gasped, "Is that—"

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Next to him was another figure…Nearly Headless Nick. He was no long pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

Mandy helped Hailey to her feet, both breathing fast and shallow. Hailey's heart was doing a kind of drumroll against her ribs. She looked wildly up and down the deserted corridor and saw a line of spiders scuttling as fast as they could away from the bodies.

The bell had rung and soon the corridor would be filled with students.

"We could run and no one would ever know we've been here," Mandy said.

"We've got to help them," Hailey said.

"Would anyone believe us?" Mandy asked, "More like, would they believe you?"

A door to the right of them opened and with a bang, Peeves came shooting out. "Why, it's potty wee Potter and her friend tiny wee Broccoli." He cackled as he bounced past them, knocking Mandy's headband askew. "What's Potter and Broccoli up to? Why's Potter and Broccoli lurking—" he stopped halfway through a midair somersault. He spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. He flipped the right way up, took a deep breath, and screamed, " _Attack! Attack! Another attack! No mortal or ghost is safe! Run for your lives! Attack!_ " He flew down the halls screaming, 'Attack' repeatedly.

The sound of feet pounding up the staircase on both sides got louder. People flooded the corridor, sending Mandy and Hailey against the wall. Justin was in danger of being squashed and some people were standing in Nearly Headless Nick. There was a drone of voices asking about what happened. Professor McGonagall came running and used her wand to set off a loud bang, which restored silence. She ordered everyone to get to class. After the scene had clearned, Ernie arrived, panting on the scene. He pointed, in Hailey's opinion, a little dramatically, at both Ravenclaws. His face was stark white. " _Caught in the act_!"

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene. As teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, to examine them, Peeves started singing:

" _Oh, Potter, you rotter, oh, what have you done,  
_ _You're killing off students, you think it's good fun—_ "

"That's enough, Peeves!" barked Professor McGonagall. Peeves zoomed away, backward, sticking his tongue out at Hailey. Justin was carted off to the hospital wing by Professor Flitwick and Professor Sinistra. At first, no one seemed to know what to do with Nick, but Professor McGonagall conjured a fan out of thin air and had Ernie use to waft Nick upstairs to the hospital wing. Mandy and Hailey didn't miss the dirty looks that Ernie was now giving to the both of them. No doubt, Mandy would probably be known as Hailey's henchwoman in this entire thing, in approximately two hours.

It left Hailey, Mandy, and Professor McGonagall alone.

"This way, Potter and Brocklehurst," Professor McGonagall stated.

"Professor," said Hailey, "I swear we didn't—"

"This is out of my hands, Potter," said Professor McGonagall curtly.

They marched in silence around a corner and they stopped outside an large and ugly looking gargoyle statue.

"Lemon drop!" Professor McGonagall said. The gargoyle suddenly sprang to life and hopped aside as the wall behind him split in two. Mandy looked amazed.

Hailey, full of dread, couldn't help but be amazed too.

Behind the wall was a spiral staircase that was moving smoothly upward, like an escalator. As the three stepped onto it, there was a thud and Hailey turned round to see it close behind them. They rose upward in circle, higher and higher, until at last, they saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocked in the shape of a griffin.

"This must be where Dumbledore lives," Mandy whispered to Hailey.

* * *

A/N: On Fawcett's Harry Potter wikia page, it listed her first initial as S so I came up with a name that was S, and my first thought was Susanna.

Oh, and I figure that Peeves would call Mandy, Broccoli, because of her last name. I thought of Bratwurst, and decided Broccoli was more fitting, since Peeves calls Harry, 'Potty'.

Oh, and I couldn't find out a reason for the Ravenclaws to be outside of class since they don't have Herbology with Hufflepuff and decided to make it where it was lunchtime, with Herbology still being canceled.


	12. The Polyjuice Potion

They stepped off the stone staircase at the top, and Professor McGonagall told Hailey and Mandy to wait. She left them there alone.

Hailey looked around the room. It was a large, beautiful room, full of funny little noises. There was a number of curious silver instruments on spindle legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were sleeping in their frames. There was also an enormous claw-footed desk, and sitting on a shelf behind it, was a shabby, tattered wizard's hat.

"So this is where they keep the Sorting Hat," Mandy said.

Hailey nodded, still wary about being there and looked at the hat. "Do you think that thing works?"

"No," Mandy said and looked at Hailey. "Why?"

"Don't know," Hailey replied.

"I say…look at that bird," Mandy said.

Hailey turned around to see a decrepit-looking bird. It was standing on a golden perch, behind the door. It resembled a half-plucked turkey and it gave a strange gagging sound to Mandy's disgust. The bird looked balefully back at them, and Hailey realized that the bird was ill. The bird gave the strange gagging noise again and a couple of feathers fell out of its tail.

"Knowing our luck, it'll probably die with us standing here. That's just what Dumbledore needs on top of the attacks," Mandy said.

"Especially with us alone in his office," Hailey replied.

The bird burst into flames and they stumbled back away from it, right into the desk. They looked around for a glass of water as the bird became a fireball. The bird gave one loud shriek and then there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the platter that was right under the bird. The office door open and Dumbledore walked in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Hailey gasped. "Your bird—we couldn't do anything—he just caught on fire—"

Dumbledore smiled, "About time too. He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on." He chuckled at the two girls' stunned looks. "Fawkes is a phoenix, Hailey and Mandy. Phoenixes burst into flames when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him…"

They looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes.

"It's beautiful," Mandy whispered. In Hailey's opinion, it looked quite ugly as the old one.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day." said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly _faithful_ pets."

"Such a shame that Michael couldn't see it," Mandy whispered. "I kind of want a phoenix now."

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Hailey had forgotten what they were there for, but it all came back to her as Dumbledore settled himself in the high chair behind the desk and fixed both girls with his light-blue eyes.

The door to the office flew open with an almighty bang that startled the two Ravenclaws. Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes; his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black hair, and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Hailey and Mandy, Professor Dumbledore!" exclaimed Hagrid urgently. "I was talking ter them _seconds_ before that kid was found, they never had time, sir—" Dumbledore looked like he was going to say something, but Hagrid, waving the rooster around, agitated, sending feathers everywhere, continued, "—it can't've bin them, I'll swear it in front of the Ministry of Magic if I have to—" Mandy looked touched.

"Hagrid I—" Dumbledore started.

Hagrid continued, "—yeh've got the wrong girls, sir, I _know_ Hailey an' Mandy—"

" _Hagrid!_ " Dumbledore said loudly. "I do _not_ think that Hailey and Mandy attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, bringing his hand down, the rooster falling at his side. "Right, I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." With that, he walked out looking embarrassed.

"You don't think it was us, Professor?" Mandy repeated sounding hopeful as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Hailey and Mandy, I don't," said Dumbledore, his face somber again. "But I still want to talk to you both."

They waited nervously while Dumbledore considered them, the tips of his long fingers together. "I must ask you, Hailey, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me." He sounded gentle, "Anything at all."

Hailey didn't know what to say and thought about Malfoy shouting, " _you'll be next, Mudbloods_ " and the Polyjuice Potion simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. She oddly thought about Michael's ten or eleven year old cousin, Eva, getting kicked out of her parents' home for being a witch. She thought about the disembodied voice she heard twice and Ron and Mandy telling her that it's not a good thing to hear voices no one else can't. She also dreaded the connection she might have with Salazar Slytherin. "No," she said, "There isn't anything, Professor."

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Mandy looking at her surprised.

"What about you, Mandy? Is there anything you want to say?" Dumbledore asked.

Mandy looked thoughtful and after a few seconds shook her head. "No, sir." She smiled, "Where did you get a phoenix at?"

* * *

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had been nervousness into real panic. It was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that worried people the most, since they had asked what could possibly do that to a ghost and what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead.

There was a stamped to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Hailey, Mandy, and Hermione, "Us four, Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Bulstrode, Greengrass, and Tracey Davis." Michael nodded in agreement.

In a way Hailey was glad that most of the students were gone, since she was tired of people skirting out the way whenever she, Mandy, and Michael walked by, as though they were going to sprout fangs or spit poison. She was also tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as they walked by to get to their classes.

However, Fred and George found the idea of Hailey being the heiress of Slytherin hilarious. They went out of their way to march ahead of Hailey and her friends down the corridor, shouting, "Make way for the Heiress of Slytherin, seriously evil witch coming through…"

Percy was deeply disapproving of their behaviour and had said, coldly, "It is _not_ a laughing matter."

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," Fred had said, "Hailey's in a hurry."

"Yeah, she's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with her fanged servant," George had said, chortling.

However, Ginny didn't find it amusing, either. Every time Fred loudly asked Hailey who she was planning on attacking next or when Gorge pretended to ward Hailey off with a large clove of garlic when they happened to cross paths, Ginny wailed, "Oh, _don't_."

Hailey didn't mind Fred and George's antics since it made her feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of her being Slytherin's heiress was quite ludicrous. However, their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw the Weasley twins at it.

"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."

"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."

* * *

When the term ended, Hailey, Mandy, and Hermione had hugged Michael bye before he left with the others to go back home. In a way, Hailey never really noticed that Michael gives the best hugs, something that Mandy and Hermione gave her odd looks over, when she pointed it out.

Ron, the Weasley twins, and Ginny stayed behind while their parents went to visit Bill in Egypt. Percy stayed behind because he said that it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers over this troubling time. Hermione stayed because of the Polyjuice Potion and the Gryffindors had the entirety of the Gryffindor Tower to themselves, so they could do whatever they wanted in there without bothering someone.

Sadly, the Ravenclaws didn't have the Ravenclaw Tower to themselves. Stephen Cornfoot and some older Ravenclaws were staying behind too. Hailey and Mandy had the second year dorm to themselves, which was a plus.

Hailey was awoken by someone shaking her.

"Wake up," Hermione ordered. She placed a present in front of Mandy's bed and went to a curtain and pulled it back spilling light inside.

"Bloody hell, Hermione," Mandy said, pulling her pillow over her face. Although muffled, they still heard, "How did you get in here?"

"Happy Christmas to you, too," Hermione said. "The riddle wasn't that hard to solve." Hermione looked at them, "Your common room…is… _nice_." Hailey couldn't tell if that was an insult. "It's very…blue. Also, that statue of Rowena Ravenclaw…is intriguing. I don't know why the Gryffindor common room doesn't have a statue of Godric Gyffindor or at least a portrait of him."

"I don't know either," Hailey said. "That was the first thing I noticed last term."

"I've been up for an hour and a half. I added the lacewing flies." Hermione said, "The Polyjuice Potion is ready."

"It's ready?" Mandy repeated, opening her presents.

"Yes. If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight," Hermione said.

Mandy got orange, pink, light green, and yellow Fwooper feather quills. She got a package of headbands from her parents, a fedora from Michael, a tin of treacle toffee from Hagrid, four beaded bracelets that had blue and bronze beads, from Michael's cousin, Eva. Apparently the bracelets were homemade. Ron had given Mandy a package of Chocolate Frogs and Hailey had given Mandy some color changing ink.

"Michael's cousin sent me the same bracelets, but they were in Gryffindor's colours," Hermione said.

Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak. "Hello," Hailey said happily as Hedwig landed on Hailey's bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"

Hedwig nibbled Hailey's ear in an affectionate way, which was a better present that the Dursleys sent her, which was a toothpick and a note asking if she can find out if she would be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer holidays, too.

"They're horrible people," Mandy had exclaimed when she saw the toothpick and the note.

Hagrid had sent Hailey a tin of treacle toffee as well; Ron had given her a book called _Flying with the Cannons_ , which had interesting facts about Ron's favourite Quidditch team. Hailey opened Hermione's presents which was a luxury eagle-feather quill. She opened the last present was a new, hand-knitted jumper from Mrs Weasley and a large plum cake. Hailey felt guilty when she read Mrs Weasley's note and thought about Mr Weasley's car, which hadn't been seen since it crashed into the Whomping Willow. She also felt guilty about the bout of rule-breaking that she, Ron, Mandy, and Hermione were planning next. The next present was from Michael, which was a purple wristwatch and Eva had given her four beaded bracelets that were exactly like Mandy's.

* * *

The Great Hall was magnificent. In Mandy's words, she called it a winter wonderland. There were a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling. Enchanted snow was falling from the ceiling, but it was warm and dry. In her distraction of the decorations, she nearly ended up under the mistletoe with Terry Boot, who also seemed distracted too.

During Christmas dinner, Dumbledore led them in a few of his favourite carols, (which Hailey suspected was a distraction from the attacks on Mrs Norris, Colin Creevey, Nearly Headless Nick, and Justin Finch-Fletchey.) Hagrid was booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Percy was asking the Gryffindors why they were sniggering at him because he hadn't notice that someone bewitched his prefect badge so that it read "Pinhead."

She tried to ignore Malfoy making snide remarks about her new jumper, but she tried to tell herself that Malfoy was probably jealous that he never received anything homemade from his mother.

Hailey finished a second helping of Christmas pudding and before she can get a third helping, Hermione dragged her away to finalize their plans.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into." said Hermione, in a matter-of-fact tone, as if she was sending them out to get laundry detergent. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of either Crabbe or Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him.

"I've got it all worked out," Hermione continued. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet." She passed the cakes to Ron and pulled two phials of something else. "This is a Knock-Out Potion. All you two have to do is make sure that Greengrass and Davis catch a whiff of this to knock them out. We all know that Greengrass and Davis aren't as greedy as Crabbe and Goyle. All you two have to do is stuff them in a broom closet as well and take some their hairs as well."

Mandy and Ron gaped at Hermione.

Mandy said, "Hermione, I don't think—"

Ron said, "That could go seriously wrong—"

Hermione had a steely glint in her eye that was not unlike the one Professor McGonagall sometimes had. "The potion will be useless without Crabbe's or Goyle's hair." She had a stern voice, "You do _want_ to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"

"What about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?" Hailey asked, confused.

"I've already got mine!" Hermione said and pulled out a tiny bottle, to show them a single hair in it. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling with me at the Dueling Club? She left this one my robes when she trying to strangle me! And she's gone home for Christmas—so I'll just have to tell the Slytherins I've decided to come back."

Hailey frowned and pointed, "How will that explain—"

Hermione bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron and Mandy turned to Hailey. Ron had a doom-laden expression and asked, "Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"

Hailey shook her head.

* * *

Stage one of the plans went smoothly, like Hermione wanted. Mandy, Hailey, and Ron waited in the deserted entrance, waiting for Crabbe and Goyle to emerge after Christmas tea. Hailey perched the chocolate cakes on the end of the banisters and they waited behind a suit of armour next to the front door.

"How thick can you get?" Ron whispered.

They watched as Crabbe pointed out the cake to Goyle and grabbed them. The two grinned and stuffed the cakes into their mouths. They chewed it, looking triumphant, and they both keeled over on the floor.

Hailey briefly wondered if Dudley would've eaten cakes he found on the banister. Then again, she had seen Dudley eat a piece of candy that had fallen on the ground at school once. It was wrapped, but still…

Together, they heaved the two Slytherins into a closet across the hall, while Mandy kept a lookout for Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis.

"Which one are you going to transform into?" Hailey asked Ron.

"I think I'll go with Crabbe," Ron said, yanking out some of Crabbe's hair.

"You should take his shoes too," Hailey whispered.

Ron took Crabbe's shoes and they hurried back to the suit of armour, before crouching down. Daphne and Tracey walked out of the hall. Mandy held up a small glass ball, which held some sort of liquid inside it.

"Cover your noses," Mandy said, covering her nose with her robes, while the other two did the same. Mandy threw the glass ball, which shattered near the Slytherin's feet. A purple cloud rose in front of them and they fell down. The cloud cleared up in a minute.

Mandy nudged Hailey, and they ran over. They heaved the two Slytherins inside the same closet.

Mandy grabbed some of Tracey's brown hair and Hailey grabbed a few pieces of Daphne's blonde hair. Mandy held up another glass ball. "Cover your noses again. This will knock them out a bit longer too."

They covered their noses and Mandy dropped the ball. She closed the door and they hurried to Moaning Myrtle's lavatory.

"Where did you get those at?" Hailey asked.

"From Fred and George," Mandy said. "I poured out what was original inside and put the Knockout Potion inside it."

When they walked inside, there was a thick black cloud coming from the stall that held the cauldron. Covering their noses with the robes, they knocked on the door.

They asked, "Hermione?"

The lock scraped and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. From the cauldron, they heard the _gloop gloop_ of the bubbling potion. Four glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.

"Did you get them?" Hermione asked, sounding breathless and Hailey held up some of Daphne's hair. "Good," she picked up a small sack and said to Ron, "I sneaked these spare robes out of the laundry. You'll need a bigger size once you're Crabbe." She handed out a green and silver tie to Hailey and Mandy. "These are for the Slytherins."

The four stared into the cauldron; the potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly.

"I'm sure we've done everything right." Hermione said, nervously, rereading the splotched page of _Moste Potente Potions_. "After all, we read it as carefully as possible." She looked at the passage. "It looks like the book says it should…once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves."

Ron whispered, "Now what?"

"We separate it into four glasses and add the hairs," Hermione said, before ladling large dollops of the potion into each of the glasses. Her hand trembling, she shook Millicent Bulstrode's hair out of its bottle into the first glass. The potion hisses loudly like a boiling kettle and frothed madly. It turned into a sick sort of yellow.

Ron looked disgusted. "Urgh—essence of Millicent Bulstrode." He eyed it, "Bet it tastes disgusting."

"Add yours, then," said Hermione.

Hailey dropped Daphne's hair in the second glass, which turned algae green, while Ron's glass turned a dark murky brown. Mandy dropped Tracey's hair in the potion and it turned mustard yellow.

Mandy frowned, "I hate mustard."

Before Ron and Hermione reached for their glasses, Hailey said. "Hang on. We'd better not all drink them in here." They looked at her. "Crabbe isn't exactly slender and Millicent isn't a pixie either. We barely fit in here in the first place."

"Good thinking," Ron said, unlocking the door. "We'll take separate stalls."

Careful not to spill a drop of the Polyjuice Potion, Hailey slipped into a stall and called out, "Ready?"

"No," Mandy said and paused. "Okay. Ready."

"Ready," Ron and Hermione said together.

Hailey was shaking. "One—two—three—" She pinched her nose and drank the potion down in two large gulps. It tasted like overcooked radishes.

Her insides started writhing as though she'd just swallowed live snakes—she doubled up, and wondered whether she was going to be sick—a burning sensation spread rapidly from her stomach to the very ends of her fingers and toes—a horrible melting feeling, as the skin all over her body bubbled like hot wax—before her eyes, her fingers grew and thickened a little—her hair lengthened—her nose grew painfully—everything stopped. She was laying face down on the floor and heard Myrtle gurgling morosely in the end toilet.

She stood up, still shaking and took off the blue and bronze tie she was wearing, before switching to another one. She stepped out and rubbed her eyes. "Are you three okay?" She sounded like Daphne and it was a little unsettling.

"Yeah," came the low rasp on her right.

"Yeah," came the Irish voice that was Tracey Davis, a little down.

Ron's door opened and they stared at each other. Ron was indistinguishable from Crabbe, right down to the bowl-cut hair and the long arms. The door next to Ron's opened and Mandy stepped out. Tracey's brown hair went to her shoulders and her nose was quite bulbous.

"I can't believe this," Mandy said. "Michael is missing out."

"It would be easier this way," Hailey said.

"This is unbelievable," Ron said, faintly. " _Unbelievable._ "

Hailey glanced at him. "Five would look suspicious, especially since Crabbe and Goyle don't really hang out with Tracey and Daphne. Four would be semi-okay. We'd better get going." She took off the purple wristwatch and put it in her robes pockets. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is…"

"It's somewhere in the dungeons," Mandy said.

Ron went to Hermione's stall door and banged on it. "C'mon, we need to go—"

"I—I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me," a high-pitched voice answered him.

Ron said, "Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you—"

Hermione interrupted, "No—really—I don't think I'll come. You three hurry up, you're wasting time—"

Hailey looked at Ron, bewildered.

"I think _that_ looks more like Daphne," said Ron. "That's how she usually looks when Malfoy talks to her."

Mandy laughed and Hailey went to the door. "Hermione, are you okay?"

Hermione responded, "Fine—I'm fine—go on—"

Hailey took out the watch and looked at it to see that five minutes had already passed. She looked at the door, "We'll meet you back here, all right?"

The three went to the door and Mandy looked out carefully, before they set off.

"Don't have that gloomy look," Hailey told Mandy. "Try to get a look that says that you think that you're better than everyone." Mandy made a face. "Perfect." She looked at Ron, "Don't swing your arms like that."

Ron seemed confused, "Eh?"

"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff…" Hailey explained.

Ron tried to hold his arms stiffly, "How's this?"

"Better," Hailey muttered.

"I think the Slytherin common room is this way," Mandy said, as they went down the marble staircase. "The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there…"

A girl with long, curly blonde hair emerged from the entrance.

"What is Penelope doing down there?" Mandy whispered to Hailey, who shrugged.

Penelope walked away and Ron turned to the girls confused, "Penelope?"

"Our prefect," Hailey said a little confused, at the thought of Penelope being in the dungeons.

They walked down the entrance into darkness. Their footsteps were oddly loud and Ron was checking his watch to see how much time passed. After twenty-five minutes, and getting desperate, there were footsteps ahead of them.

"Ha! There's one of them now!" Ron said excitedly.

The figure emerged from a side room, and as they went nearer, they saw that it wasn't a Slytherin, but Percy.

"What are you doing down here?" asked Ron in surprise.

Percy looked affronted and said stiffly, "That is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"

"Wh—oh, yeah," Ron said.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."

" _You_ are," countered Ron.

Percy drew himself up. "I am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack _me_."

Hailey wanted to point out that Mrs Norris and Nearly Headless Nick was attacked, so prefects probably didn't matter to whoever was attacking people, animals, and ghosts.

"There you are," Malfoy drawled looking at them. He seemed confused. "Where's Goyle?"

Hailey, Mandy, and Ron looked at each other. Mandy said, "We had to take him to the hospital wing because of a stomachache. He couldn't remember where it was at."

Malfoy looked at Hailey, Mandy, and Ron and seemed to buy it. "Well, I've been wanting to show Crabbe and Goyle something funny." He glared witheringly at Percy and sneered, "And what're you doing down here, Weasley?"

Percy looked outraged, "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect! I don't like your attitude!"

"Yeah, because that will obviously teach him how to be nicer, Percy." Mandy said and Percy looked at her confused.

Malfoy sneered again, rolled his eyes, and motioned for Ron to follow him. Mandy and Hailey followed after Ron. They turned into the next passage, as Malfoy said, "That Peter Weasley—"

"Percy," Ron corrected.

"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to."

Mandy and Hailey exchanged a glance. Mandy arched an eyebrow and Hailey shrugged.

"He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed." Malfoy continued and gave a short, derisive laugh. Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" he asked the other three.

"Er—" Hailey paused.

Malfoy continued, not listening, "Oh, yeah— _pure-blood_!"

Hailey, Mandy, and Ron exchanged glances.

A stone door, concealed in the wall slide open and Malfoy marched through it. The other three followed after him.

The common room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which around, greenish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantelpiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.

"Wait here," said Malfoy, motioning to a pair of empty chairs, set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it—my father's just sent it to me."

Mandy and Hailey took a seat away from Ron, to make it seem less suspicious on why they're sitting together, when it seemed like they didn't like each other as much. Hailey and Mandy both opened up the nearest books and opened it to the first page to pretend to read it over. Hailey tried to watch from the corner of her eye.

Malfoy came back holding a piece of paper, and held it under Ron's nose, saying, "That'll give you a laugh."

"I think it's the Inquiry at the Ministry of Magic article," Mandy whispered to Hailey, apparently having the same idea as her. "My dad told me about it."

Ron read it over and Malfoy said impatiently, "Well? Don't you think it's funny?" Ron forced a weak laugh. "Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them." He sounded scornful, "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave." The was a pause, "what's up with you, Crabbe?"

"Stomachache," Ron grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet." He sounded thoughtful, "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in." Mandy stood up abruptly. "What's the _matter_ with you, Davis?"

"My leg was falling asleep," Mandy lied, before sitting down. Mandy's—well more like Tracey's face was red, more likely out of anger.

"Where is Goyle? He should've been back by now," Malfoy said, looking around.

"He could've gone back to the Great Hall to eat some more," Hailey said.

"Probably," Malfoy said. "Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friends," said Malfoy slowly. "She's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped-up Granger Mudblood. And people think _she's_ Slytherin's heir."

Hailey wasn't sure how to feel about Malfoy ranting about her like that.

"Well, they're idiots, obviously," Mandy responded venomously.

"Right, Davis," Malfoy said. "I _wish_ I knew who it _is_. I could help them." He sounded petulant.

Hailey noticed that Ron's jaw dropped, making Crabbe look more clueless. Malfoy probably didn't notice, so Hailey said, "Well, you must have some idea behind it all."

Malfoy looked at her, and snapped, "You know I don't, Greengrass. How many times do I have to tell you? And Father won't tell me _anything_ about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing—last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood _died_. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's kill this time…" he trailed off and said with relish, "I hope it's Granger."

Hailey noticed that Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Hailey knew that it would be a giveaway if Ron looking like Crabbe punched Malfoy in the face, shot him a warning look. She asked, "D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"

"Oh, yeah…whoever it was, was expelled," Malfoy said. "They're probably still in Azkaban." Hailey and Mandy looked at each other. Malfoy shifted restlessly in his chair, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slythering get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"

Mandy tried to look concern, "They did?"

Malfoy said, "yeah…Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor—"

"Ho!" said Ron suddenly.

Malfoy, Mandy, and Hailey looked at him. Ron blushed and Hailey could see his hair was turning red. His nose was slowly lengthening—their hour was up. Ron was looking at them with horror and they jumped to their feet.

"Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted.

"We'll take him to the hospital wing," Hailey said quickly.

"Yes," Mandy said, "He probably forgot where it's at, too." They sprinted to the stone wall, where the common room entrance was at. They dashed up the passage, hoping that Malfoy didn't notice anything. Hailey could feel her hair shortening.

They ran up the steps into the dark entrance hall where there was muffled pounding from the four Slytherins being locked in the closet.

Ron left the shoes outside the door and they ran up the marble staircase towards Moaning Myrtle's lavatory.

Ron closed the door behind him and said, while panting, "well, it wasn't a complete waste of time. I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoy's drawing room."

Hailey checked her face in the cracked mirror, to see that she was back to normal, except for the Slytherin tie, which she removed, as Ron hammered on the door of Hermione's stall. "Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you—"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

Mandy was frowning, as Ron and Hailey looked at each other.

"What's the matter?" asked Ron. "You must be back to normal by now, we are—"

Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door, looking happy. "Ooh, wait till you see. It's _awful_ —"

Mandy said, thoughtfully, "I think I know—"

The lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing. Her robes were pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" Ron asked, uncertainly. "Have you still go Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink. Hermione's face was covered in black fur, her eyes had turend yellow, and there was long, pointed ears poking through her hair. "It was c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Blustrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Oh, boy," Mandy muttered.

"Uh-oh," said Ron said.

"You'll be teased something _dreadful_ ," said Myrtle happily.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Hailey quickly. "We'll just take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…" She remembered how Mandy ended up in the hospital wing because Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback dragon bit her and Madam Pomfrey didn't ask to many questions when Mandy said it was a dog bite.

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the lavatory. Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a _tail_!"

"Shut up, Myrtle!" Mandy shouted as she closed the door behind them.


	13. Very Secret Diary

Hermione was still in the hospital wing when term started. There was a rumour about her disappearance, which was that she had been attacked. Mandy, Ron, Hailey, and now Michael, who they filled in when he returned, knew the truth. There were so many students filing past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of Hermione. Madam Pomfrey had taken out her curtains and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the same and humiliation of being seen with a furry face and a tail.

The four went to visit her every evening to bring her each day's homework.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of book onto Hermione's bedside table.

Mandy and Michael both had wide eyes, like they were stunned that Ron can even say that.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly.

"I know," Mandy said, still stunned. "How will you catch up with the others?"

"You'll fall behind," Michael replied.

"You'll have to repeat the year for that," Hailey responded.

"All right, all right," Ron responded in disbelief, like he can't believe that he was friends with smart people.

It seemed like Hermione's spirits improved since all the hair was gone from her face, she was tailless, and her eyes were slowly turning back to brown. She whispered so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?"

"Nothing," said Hailey.

Michael shook his head. "I couldn't ask my mother. She doesn't want to scare Eva on the idea that someone attacked two students, a cat, and a _ghost_."

"I was so _sure_ it was Malfoy," said Ron.

"How much does that make it now?" Hailey whispered to Mandy.

"I think a hundred," Mandy stated.

Hailey nodded and noticed something gold sticking out from Hermione's pillow. "Hey, what's that?"

"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it from out of sight.

Ron was too quick and pulled it out. He flicked it open and read aloud: " _To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of_ Witch Weekly's _Most-Charming-Smile Award._ " He looked up at Hermione, disgusted. "You sleep with this under your _pillow_?"

"I don't see why not," Mandy said. "I sleep with a book under my pillow."

Michael said, "I don't see the problem, Ron. When I was ten, I went to a Muggle hospital because one of my ribs was pressing down on a vein, turning my arm blue. One of my teachers gave me a get-well card, which was also signed by my classmates, but still…"

"You must've had an interesting childhood," Mandy said to Michael.

Hermione was spared from answering Ron's question by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine, so they had to leave. They started heading to the library.

"Is Lockhart the smarmiest bloke you've ever met or what?" Ron asked them.

"That signature was overboard, I'll admit that," Michael said.

"I know," Mandy said nodding.

Ron said, "You know, I wish I asked Hermione how many rat tails you were supposed to add to a Hair-Raising Potion—"

He was interrupted by a shout from above them.

"That's Filch," Hailey said. They ran up the stairs and paused, trying to stay out of sight.

"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" asked Ron tensely.

They inclined their heads towards Filch.

"— _even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No, this is the final straw; I'm going to Dumbledore—"_ His footsteps receded along the corridor. They went upstairs. Filch had clearly been manning his usual lookout post. They were once again on the spot where Mrs Norris had been attack. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. Now that Filch had stopped ranting, they could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the lavatory walls.

" _Now_ what's up with her?" asked Ron groaning.

Michael asked, "Should we even bother her?"

"Let's go and see," Hailey said. Holding her robes over her ankles they stepped through the great wash of water to the door. She entered and heard Moaning Myrtle, crying, possibly louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. The lavatory was dark because the candle had been extinguished in the great wash of water that left both walls and floor soaking wet.

"Er—what's up?" Michael asked.

"Who's that?" sobbed Myrtle miserably. "Come to throw something else at me?"

Michael looked at the others and waded across to her stall. "Why would I throw something at you?"

"Don't ask me!" Myrtle shouted, emerging with a wave of yet more water, which splashed onto the already sopping floor. "Here I am, minding my own business, and someone thinks it's funny to throw a book at me…"

"It can't hurt you if someone throws something at you," said Mandy. "I mean, it'd just go right through you, wouldn't it?"

Myrtle puffed up and shrieked, "Let's all throw books at Myrtle, because _she_ can't feel it! Ten points if you can get it through her stomach! Fifty points if it goes through her head! Well, ha, ha, ha! What a lovely games, I _don't_ think!"

"Who threw it at you, anyway?" asked Michael.

" _I_ don't know…I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," explained Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out…" she pointed at the sinks.

They looked under the sink were Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Hailey stepped forward to pick it up and look at it, but Ron grabbed her robes.

"What?" Hailey asked.

"Are you crazy? It could be dangerous," Ron said.

"Ron's right," Michael said. "Who knows what that _thing_ contains? I've read _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_."

"Settle down there, Hermione," Ron joked.

Hailey examined the book, "It looks like an ordinary book to me."

"That's the thing," Mandy said. "They look ordinary, but they're extremely dangerous."

"Some of the books the Ministry's confiscated—Dad's told me—there was one the burned your eyes out. And everyone who read _Sonnets of a Sorcerer_ spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could _never stop reading!_ You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed. And—"

"All right, I've got the point," said Hailey, holding her hands up. The little book lay on the floor, nondescript and soggy. "Well, we won't find out unless we look at it." She shook off Ron's hands and picked the book up off the floor.

She saw that it was a diary and the faded year on the cover told her it was fifty years old. She opened it and on the first page she could make out the name "T. M. Riddle" in smudged ink.

"Hang on," said Ron, looking over Hailey's shoulder. "I know that name…T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school fifty years ago."

Hailey looked at Ron. "How d'you know that?"

"Filch made polish his shield about fifty times in detention," said Ron. "That was the one I burped slugs all over. If you'd wiped slime off a name for an hour, you'd remember it, too."

Hailey peeled the wet pages apart and saw they were completely blank. There wasn't the faintest trace of writing on any of them, not even something like _Auntie Mabel's birthday_ or _dentist, half-past three_. She was disappointed, "He never wrote in it."

"I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?" said Ron curiously.

"If you gave me a diary, I would get rid of it, too," Michael said.

Hailey turned it over to see a printed name of a variety store on Vauxhall Road, London. She frowned, "He must've been Muggle-born."

"Or a half-blood who didn't know that his parent was a witch or wizard, like me," Michael pointed out.

"Or adopted," Mandy said.

"Well, it's not much use to you," said Ron and lowered his voice, "Fifty points if you can get it through Myrtle's nose."

"Come on, don't be rude," Michael said. He whispered to Hailey, "One hundred points if you get it through her knees." He winked at her.

Hailey hid her blush by ducking her head to put it in her pocket. Maybe Hermione might know what to make of it.

* * *

On February first, Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free. On her first evening, Hailey showed her T.M. Riddle's diary in the library and told her the story of how they had found it.

"Ooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.

"If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Hailey."

Hailey wished she could figure out why she doesn't do that, but it felt like there was some sort of pull to it, like the Mirror of Erised. "I wish I knew why someone _did_ try to chuck it. I wouldn't mind knowing how Riddle got an award for special services to Hogwarts either."

"Could've been anything," said Ron. "Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would've done everyone a favour…"

"That's a horrible theory, Ron," said Mandy. "I believe she killed herself in that lavatory."

"Why assume that?" Michael asked curious.

"She said she was miserable and I reckon she was bullied. She just ended her life," Mandy said. "Who knows what her home-life was like? She probably killed herself in the end stall."

"I figured that she was dead a bit ago and Peeves somehow brought her in as some sort of joke, but she stayed for reasons unknown," Michael said. He thought about something and frowned. "If she killed herself, wouldn't she end up in H—"

"Stop debating this," Ron interrupted. "I can't believe you two are debating this."

"The Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago, wasn't it?" Mandy asked, getting back on topic of Riddle's diary.

Hailey nodded, "Yeah, that's what Malfoy said." She suddenly knew what was going on.

"And _this diary_ is fifty years old," said Hermione, tapping it excitedly.

"So?" Ron asked.

"Ron, wake up," snapped Hermione. "We know the person who opened the Chamber last time was expelled _fifty years ago_. We know T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school _fifty years ago_. Well, what if Riddle got his special award for _catching the Heir of Slytherin_? His diary would probably tell us everything—where the Chamber is, and how to open it, and what sort of creature lives in it—the person who's behind the attacks this time wouldn't want that lying around, would they?"

"That's a _brilliant_ theory, Hermione," said Ron, "With just one tiny little flaw. _There's nothing written in his diary_."

Hermione pulled her wand out of her bag. "It might be invisible ink." She tapped the diary three times and said, " _Aparecium_." Nothing happened. Undaunted, Hermione shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser. "It's a Revealer. I got it in Diagon Alley," she explained. She rubbed hard on _January first_ and nothing happened.

"I'm telling you, there's nothing to find in there," said Ron. "Riddle just got a diary for Christmas and couldn't be bothered filling it in."

"I'm with Riddle on that," Michael said. "I wouldn't write in it, either."

* * *

Hailey wasn't sure why she couldn't get rid of the diary. She knew that it was blank, but she had a strange pull to it like the Mirror of Erised, that was beginning to worry Michael, who offered to throw it away for her. She couldn't hand it over to him, despite knowing that there wasn't anything written in it. Oddly enough, she couldn't sworn she heard the name T.M. Riddle before, as it seemed to mean something to her, as if Riddle was a friend to her when she was very young, but half-forgotten. That was absurd, because she never had friends before Hogwarts, which Dudley made sure of.

Hailey was still determined to find out more about Riddle. During break the next day, she went to the trophy room with her four friends. Hermione was interested and a thoroughly unconvinced Ron, who told them that he'd seen enough of the trophy room to last him a lifetime.

Riddle's burnished gold shield was tucked away in a corner cabinet. It didn't carry details of why it had been given to him. Ron had said, "Good thing, too, or it'd be even bigger and I'd still be polishing it," which caused Mandy to laugh. They did find Riddle's name on an old Medal for Magical Merit, and on a list of old Head Boys as well.

"He sounds like Percy," said Ron, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Prefect, Head Boy…probably top of every class—"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Hermione in a slightly hurt voice. For the looks of it, it kind of insulted Michael and Mandy too.

* * *

The sun was beginning to shine weakly on Hogwarts again.

The mood had grown more hopeful since the attacks on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood. One afternoon, Hailey heard Madam Pomfrey telling Filch, "The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for repotting again. And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs Norris back in no time."

Hailey wasn't sure, but maybe the Heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, since it was getting risky to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Mandy had joked that the monster was settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years.

However, Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff didn't take the cheerful view, since he was still convinced that Hailey was the guilty one and that she had 'given herself away' at the Dueling Club. Peeves wasn't helping because kept popping up in crowded corridors singing, "oh Potter, you rotter…" with a dance routine to match.

Colton Taylor told them that he overheard Lockhart saying that he was the reason the attacks stopped, which caused them all to laugh.

When they were lining up for Transfiguration, they overheard Lockhart telling Professor McGonagall, "I don't think they'll be any more trouble, Minerva. I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught him. Rather sensible to stop now, before I came down hard on him. You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing."

* * *

On February fourteenth, they found out what Lockhart meant by a morale-booster, at breakfast time.

Hailey hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, and she hurried down to the Great Hall, slightly late. When she walked into the Great Hall, for a moment she thought that she'd walked in the wrong place.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse, there was heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Hailey went to the Ravenclaw table, where Michael looked sickened and Mandy seemed to be doing just fine. She noticed that Ron also looked sickened and Hermione seemed to have been overcome with giggles.

Hailey sat down between Michael and Mandy. She wiped confetti off the bacon.

Michael pointed to the teachers' table. Lockhart was wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers that were sitting on either side of him were looking stony-faced. Hailey could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all—and it doesn't end here!" He clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however, since all of them were wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"Oh, my god," Michael said in horror.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion!"

"I doubt that," Mandy whispered to Hailey.

Lockhart continued, "Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands and Snape looked like he was going to force-fed someone poison if they asked him for a Love Potion.

"Isn't Love Potions against our school rules?" Mandy asked confused.

"Aren't they illegal?" Michael asked, thinking about it.

After breakfast, they left the Great Hall.

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron.

Hermione suddenly became very interested in looking through her bag.

* * *

All day long the cupids kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, much to the annoyance of the teachers.

Colton Taylor was the recipient of a valentine from a first year girl, who, for some reason, fancied him, despite the fact that Colton was quite open about him being gay. It could've been a joke valentine or the girl really was that daft.

Late that afternoon as they were walking to class, one of the cupids caught up with Hailey.

"Oi, you! 'Ailey Potter!" shouted a particularly grim-looking cupid, elbowing people out of the way to get to Hailey.

Hailey was too embarrassed at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years. She tried escape through the crowd. The cupid cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached her before she'd gone two paces.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Ailey Potter in person," said the cupid, twanging his harp, in a way that seemed threatening.

" _Not here_ ," Hailey hissed, trying to escape in the crowd. She wasn't sure who would even send her a valentine, considering that it seemed like most of the school believed her to be the Heir of Slytherin.

"Stay _still_!" grunted the cupid, grabbing hold of Hailey's bag and pulling her back.

"Let me go!" Hailey snarled, tugging.

With that the big ripped in half. Her books, wand, parchment, and quill spilled onto the floor while the ink bottle smashed over everything. Hailey scrambled around, trying to pick up everything before the cupid started to sing, however, she and the cupid were causing a holdup in the corridor.

"What's going on here?" asked the cold, drawling voice of Malfoy. Hailey grabbed her wand, whispered the spell to the Mending Charm and hastily shoved her ink covered books into her books. She really didn't want Malfoy to see her singing valentine.

"What's all this commotion?" Percy asked, arriving as well.

Hailey tried to make a run for it, but the cupid seized her around the knees and brought her crashing to the floor.

"Right," the cupid said, sitting on Hailey's ankles. "Here is your singing valentine from T.B.:

 _Her eyes are as blue as the sky on a hazy day,  
_ _Her hair's as red as roses,  
_ _She's as ferocious as a thorn bush,  
_ _She's as cool as an ice cube._ "

The cupid handed Hailey a piece of parchment, and Hailey forced herself to laugh, although she wished she could evaporate on the spot. She got up, her feet feeling numb from the cupid's weight; Percy tried to disperse the crowd, some who were crying out of laughter.

"Off you go, off you go, the bell rang five minutes ago, of to class, now," Percy said, shooing some of the younger students away. " _And_ you, Malfoy—"

Hailey looked over to see Malfoy bending over to pick up something. He leered and showed it to Crabbe and Goyle. Hailey realized that Malfoy was holding Riddle's diary. She said quietly, "Give that back."

"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" Malfoy responded, not noticing the year written on the cover, thinking he obviously had Hailey's own diary. The crowd hushed up and Ginny was staring at the diary to Hailey, looking terrified.

"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a look," said Malfoy, waving it tauntingly at Hailey.

Even though there wasn't anything written in it, it probably wouldn't stop Malfoy from coming up with something embarrassing, like Dudley did at times with a piece of paper.

Percy said, "As a school prefect—"

" _Expelliarmus_!" Hailey shouted, after growing frustrated and pointing her wand at Malfoy. The diary shot out of Malfoy's hand and into the air. Ron, who was grinning broadly, caught it.

"Hailey!" exclaimed Percy. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this you know!"

"I don't care!" shouted Hailey. She had one-upped Malfoy and it was better than losing five points for Ravenclaw.

Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein were walking by, causing a furious Malfoy to yell spitefully at Terry, "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!"

Michael looked over at Terry, with a slightly odd look on his face.

"It was a joke," Terry replied shrugging.

In class, Hailey noticed that all her other books were covered in ink and that Riddle's diary was looking as if it hadn't had ink drop all over it. She tried to point it out to Mandy and Michael, but they were too busy focusing on the lesson.

* * *

That night, she left Mandy and Michael alone to go to bed early, because she wanted to examine Riddle's diary some more. Michael was beginning to loathe the diary, thinking that it was possessing Hailey and was trying to tell her to get rid of it.

Hailey sat on the four-poster bed and flicked through the black pages, none having a trace of blue ink on it. She pulled a new bottle of ink out of the bedside cabinet, and dipped the eagle-feather quill in it. She dropped a blot onto the first page of the diary. The ink shone brightly on the paper and, as though it was being sucked into the page, it vanished.

Excited, Hailey loaded the quill up a second time and wrote, "My name is Hailey Potter."

The words shone momentarily on the page and they sank out of sight.

Oozing back out of the page, in blue ink, words appeared.

" _Hello, Hailey Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?"_

Hailey started writing back, as the words faded too. "Someone tried to flush it down a toilet." She waited eagerly for a reply

" _Lucky that I recorded my memories in some more lasting way than ink. But I always knew that there would be those who would not want this diary read."_

"What do you mean?" Hailey wrote, blotting the page out of excitement.

" _I mean that this diary holds memories of terrible things. Things that were covered up. Things that happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."_

She frowned and wrote quickly. "That's where I am now. I'm at Hogwarts, and horrible stuff's been happening." She thought about the diary being made fifty years ago and that the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago too. "Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" Her heart was beating rapidly and Riddle's reply came quickly.

" _Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such a thing had happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They have me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it could happen again. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned."_

Hailey nearly knocked her ink bottle over in a hurry to write back. "It's happening again now. There have been four attacks and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?"

" _I can show you, if you like. You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him,"_ Riddle replied back.

Hailey hesitated, holding her quill over the diary. She wondered what that mean. She couldn't recall reading anything about being taken inside somebody else's memory. She looked over the door to the dormitory. It was growing dark and she looked back at the diary where new words were formed.

" _Let me show you."_

She was a little uneasy and wrote back two letters, "OK."

The pages of the diary started flipping through as though caught in a high wind, stopping halfway, at the month of June. The little square for June thirteenth seemed to have turned in a minuscule television screen, which caused her mouth to drop. Feeling quite foolish, she raised the book and pressed her eye against the little window.

She was tilted forward, the window widened, and she felt her body leave the bed. She was pitched headfirst through the opening in the page into a whirl of colour and shadow. She felt her feet his solid ground and she was standing there, shaking, as the blurred shapes around her come suddenly into focus.

The room was circular, with sleeping portraits on the wall. She realized she was in Dumbledore's office—but it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind the desk. There was a wizened, frail-looking wizard, bald except for a few wisps of white hair. He was reading a letter by candlelight and Hailey couldn't recall meeting this man before.

"I'm sorry," she said shakily. "I didn't mean to butt in—"

The wizard didn't look up, as he continued to read, frowning slightly. Hailey walked nearer to the desk and stammered, "Er—I'll just go, shall I?"

The wizard ignored her, and didn't seem to have heard her. Hailey remembered that Tom had said something about showing her a memory that he placed in the diary. The wizard folded up the letter with a sigh, stood up, walked past Hailey without glancing at her, and went to draw the curtains at his window.

The sky was ruby-red; it seemed to be sunset. The wizard went back the desk, sat down, and twiddled his thumbs, watching the door.

Hailey looked around the office. There was no Fawkes the phoenix—no whirring silver contraptions. This was Hogwarts as Riddle known it to be, meaning that the wizard was Headmaster Dippet that Riddle mentioned.

There was a knock of the office door.

"Enter," said Dippet in a feeble voice.

A boy of about sixteen entered, taking off his pointed hat. There was a silver prefect's badge was glinting on his chest. He was much taller than Hailey and he had jet-black hair. In Hailey's opinion, he was quite handsome.

"Ah, Riddle," said Dippet.

"You want to see me, Professor Dippet?" asked Riddle, sounding nervous.

"Sit down," said Dippet. "I've just been reading the letter you sent me."

"Oh," said Riddle, sitting down, gripping his hands together very tightly.

"My dear boy," said Dippet kindly. "I cannot possibly let you stay at school over the summer. Surely you want to go home for the holidays?"

"No," said Riddle at once. "I'd much rather stay at Hogwarts than go back to that—to that—"

"You live in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, I believe?" said Dippet curiously.

"Yes, sir," said Riddle, reddening slightly. Hailey momentarily wondered why he turned red like that. Hailey thought, _is he embarrassed to be Muggle-born? Is he embarrassed to live in an orphanage?_

"You are Muggle-born?" asked Dippet.

 _Oh, that's why he's embarrassed then,_ Hailey thought.

"Half-blood, sir," said Riddle, "Muggle father, witch mother."

Dippet prompted, "And are both your parents—?"

Riddle explained, "My mother died just after I was born, sir. They told me at the orphanage she lived just long enough to name me—Tom after my father, Marvolo after my grandfather."

Hailey felt bad for him, understanding losing her parents. Although she was a year old when they were killed, she understood not knowing them, too.

Dippet clucked his tongue sympathetically. "The thing is, Tom," he sighed, "special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances…"

"You mean all these attacks, sir?" asked Riddle.

Hailey moved closer, not wanting to miss anything.

"Precisely," said the headmaster. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you to remain at the castle when term ends. Particularly in light off the recent tragedy…the death of that poor little girl…You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are no nearer locating the –er—source of all this unpleasantness…"

Riddle's eyes widened and Hailey didn't blame him. She wouldn't want to go back home during World War II, either. In fact, she wouldn't want to go back to Number Four to be with the Dursleys.

Riddle asked, "Sir—if the person was caught—if it all stopped—"

Hailey frowned. "What do you mean?" asked Dipper with a squeak in his voice, sitting up in the chair. "Riddle, do you mean you know something about these attacks?"

"No, sir," answered Riddle quickly, which reminded Hailey of the same 'no' she gave Dumbledore.

Dippet sat back in his chair, looking slightly disappointed. "You may go Tom…"

Riddle slid off the chair and slouched out of the room. Hailey followed after him, down the moving spiral staircase, emerging next to the gargoyle in the darkening corridor. Riddle stopped and Hailey stood to the side, watching him. Riddle was biting his lips and his forward was furrowed. Hailey was oddly reminded of Michael's forehead furrowing as he looked over his work and homework.

Riddle looked like reached a decision and hurried off. Hailey followed after him and they didn't see another person until they reached the entrance hall, where a tall wizard with long auburn hair and a beard called to Riddle from the marble staircase. "What are you doing, wandering around this late, Tom?"

Hailey looked at the wizard and gaped at him. He was Dumbledore, fifty-years-younger.

"Well, hurry off to bed," said Dumbledore, giving Riddle a penetrating stare that Hailey knew so well. "Best not to roam the corridors these days. Not since…" he sighed heavily, bade Riddle good night, and strode off.

Riddle watched him walk out of sight and moving quickly, headed straight down the stone steps to the dungeons, with Hailey trying to keep up.

Riddle led her not into a hidden passageway or a secret tunnel, but to the dungeon where she had Potions with Snape. The torches weren't lit and Riddle closed the door to where only a crack remained. Hailey could make out Riddle standing very still like a statute, peeking out through the crack in the door.

They stood there, waiting for what seemed like an hour, while she stood there watching Riddle. She was starting to feel less tense and expectant. She started wishing she could return to the present, she heard something move beyond the door and knew someone was creeping along the passage. The person went past the dungeon she and Riddle were hiding in. Riddle, being quiet, edged through the door and followed after person. Hailey followed after Riddle, tip-toeing.

Hailey wasn't sure how long they followed the footsteps, until Riddle stopped suddenly, his head inclined in the direction of new noises.

"C'mon…gotta get yeh outta here…" a hoarse voice whispered. "C'mon now…in the box…"

Hailey couldn't help but notice that there was something familiar about the voice. She was trying to place where she heard that voice, when Riddle suddenly jumped around the corner, startling her. Hailey followed after and through the dark, she could see the dark outline of a huge boy, who was crouching in front of an open door, with a very large box next to it.

"Evening, Rubeus," said Riddle sharply. Hailey couldn't help but think the name sounded familiar.

The boy slammed the door shut and stood up. "What yer doin' down here, Tom?"

Riddle stepped closer and said, "It's all over. I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."

The boy responded, "What d'yeh—"

Riddle said, "I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and—"

"It never killed no one!" said the large boy, backing against the closed door. Hailey could hear a funny rustling and clicking from behind the boy.

"Com on, Rubeus," said Riddle, more closer. "The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered..."

"It wasn't him!" roared the boy, his voice echoing in the dark passage. "He wouldn'! He never!"

"Stand aside," said Riddle, drawing out his wand.

The spell lit the corridor with a sudden flaming light. The door behind the large boy with such force it knocked him into the opposite wall. Something came out of the room that made Hailey let out a long, piercing scream, that went unheard. A vase, low-slung, hairy body and a tangle of black legs; a gleam of many eyes and a pair of razor-sharp pincers—Riddle raised his wand again, but the thing bowled him over as it scuttled away, tearing up the corridor and out of sight. Riddle scrambled to his feet, looking after it; he raised his wand, but the huge boy with a loud, drawn out 'No' leapt on Riddle, seized his wand, and threw him back down.

The scene whirled, the darkness became complete. Hailey felt herself falling, and with a crash, landed on her four-poster bed in the Ravenclaw dormitory, with Riddle's diary lying open on her stomach.

Before she can regain her breath, the dormitory door opened and Mandy walked in, saying, "There you are." Hailey sat up sweating and shaking. Mandy looked concerned. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Hailey said, "It was Hagrid, Mandy. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

* * *

A/N: I noticed that Harry wrote that there were three attacks and I thought about who had been attacked: Justin Finch-Fletchley, Colin Creevey, and Nearly Headless Nick. So I added Mrs Norris in there, because she had been attacked, too, despite being a cat.

Yes, Terry did write the valentine as a joke.

Also, a few years ago, one of my previous classmates had to get surgery on his ribs because a rib was pressing down on a vein, cutting off blood to his arm.


	14. Cornelius Fudge

Hailey, Ron, Hermione, Mandy, and Michael knew that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large and monstrous creatures. During their first year at Hogwarts, he had tried to raise a dragon in his little wooden house, and it would be a long time before they forgot the Cerberus that Hagrid named Fluffy. If, as a boy, Hagrid heard that a monster was hidden somewhere in the castle, Hailey and Michael was sure that Hagrid would go to great lengths for a glimpse of it. Hagrid probably thought that it was a shame that the monster had been cooped up so long, and thought it deserved the chance to stretch its many legs. Hailey could just imagine a thirteen-year-old Hagrid trying to fit a leash and collar on it, but she was also certain that Hagrid would never have meant to kill anybody.

Her friends made her recount the story many times, although she tried to avoid mentioning that Tom Riddle was handsome, because Michael got an odd look on his face when she told Mandy about it. After recounting it after a while, she was sick of repeating it and the circular conversations that followed.

"Riddle _might_ have got the wrong person," said Hermione. "Maybe it was some other monster that was attacking people…"

"How many monster d'you think this place can hold?" Ron asked dully. "Don't answer that you three." He had noticed that Hailey, Mandy, and Michael were getting ready to debate it.

"We always knew Hagrid had been expelled," said Hailey miserably. "And the attacks must've stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise, Riddle wouldn't have got his award."

Ron said, "Riddle _does_ sound like Percy—who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?"

Michael asked, "What does Riddle sounding like Percy matter to the conversation?"

"But, the monster had _killed_ someone, you two," said Hermione, bringing the topic back around.

"And Riddle was going back to some Muggle orphanage if they closed Hogwarts," said Hailey. "I don't blame him for wanting to stay here…"

"I _wouldn't_ want to go back to the Muggle world when there was a _war_ going on," Michael responded.

Mandy asked Hailey, "Didn't you meet Hagrid down Knockturn Alley?"

"He was buying a Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent," answered Hailey quickly.

They fell silent and Michael looked through a book, while Mandy rolled a bottle of velvet purple ink back and forth between her hands.

"Do you think we should go and ask Hagrid about it all?" Hermione asked.

"That'd be a cheerful visit," said Ron. "'Hello, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?'" Michael chuckled at that.

In the end, they decided that they would not say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack.

* * *

As more and more days went by with no whisper from the disembodied voice, they became hopeful that they would never need to talk to him about why he had been expelled.

Four months had gone by since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, causing nearly everybody to think that the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Peeves got bored of his, "Oh, Potter, you rotter" song, Ernie Macmillan asked Hailey quite politely if he can borrow some of her ink in History of Magic, one day. In March, several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three, which made Professor Sprout very happy. "The moment they start trying to move into each other's pots, we'll know they're fully mature. Then we'll be able to revive those poor people in the hospital wing."

"And Mrs Norris," Hailey added quickly.

However, the Mandrakes throwing the party made Mandy a little grumpy, because she grumbled, "Why didn't they invite _me_?"

* * *

During the Easter holidays, they had to choose their subjects for the third year. Neville Longbottom had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Even Colton Taylor, Neville's cousin, tried to help out.

Hailey smiled grimly to herself at the thought of what Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would say if she tried to discuss her career in witchcraft with them. However, Percy was eager to share his experience.

"Depends where you want to go, Hailey," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I'd recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards and witches should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particular if they're thinking of working in close contact with them—look at my father, he has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Hailey."

Picking out classes was something that Hermione, Mandy, and Michael took very seriously.

"It could affect our whole future," Hermione told Hailey and Ron as they pored over their lists, marking them with checks in the library. However, Hermione signed up for everything.

"I just want to give up Potions," said Hailey.

"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"But that's very important!" exclaimed Hermione, shocked.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him."

"All I learned was how not to set pixies loose," Mandy responded.

"I learned that they create mass destruction in about forty seconds," Michael stated. He looked over at all the subjects Hermione checked off. "You're supposed to mark off two classes, minimum, and three classes maximum."

Mandy looked over Hermione's list, too. "They would just knock off most of that." Hermione waved her hand at them. Mandy looked at the subjects and checked off Divination, Arthimancy, and Care of Magical Creatures. For extra-curricular she marked off Xylomancy and Ghoul Studies.

Michael asked, "Ghoul Studies? Why would you want to be in that class?"

Hailey looked at her list, where Ghoul Studies is described as learning about ghouls, ghosts, and poltergeists.

"It's going to be fun," Mandy said. "I hear that near the end of the year, the class goes to Hogsmeade Cemetery to learn about ghouls and then they go to London to learn about the ghosts there."

Hailey said slowly, "All…right…"

Michael looked at his list, and checked of Arthimancy, Study of Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures. For extra-curricular he checked off Ancient Studies.

"No Divination?" Hailey asked feeling slightly disappointed at the thought.

"I hear that it's boring," Michael replied, shrugging.

"Why Study of Ancient Runes, then?" Ron asked. "I hear that it's all theoretical."

"Being a Curse-Breaker doesn't sound too bad as a career choice," Michael muttered. "And I figure taking Ancient Studies might be useful."

Hailey figured he had a point there.

"I kind of wish Alchemy was optional for us," Mandy said sadly looking at the class which was marked for fifth, sixth and seventh years.

In the end, Hailey chose Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, like Ron did. If she was bad at any of the classes, at least they might have a chance to be together in class.

* * *

The next Quidditch game was against Hufflepuff. Roger Davis had insisted on team practice after dinner. At least the days were getting a bit drier.

The evening before Saturday's match, she went up to the dormitory to drop off her broomstick when she met Sue Li at the top of the stairs who was looking shaken. "Hailey—I don't know why—I just found—"

"What are you talking about?" Hailey asked.

Sue Li opened the door and everything was upturned. It looked like all the contents of the trunk were thrown everywhere. The bedclothes had been pulled off the beds and the drawers on the bedside cabinets had been upended on the beds.

Hailey's jaw dropped and she walked over to the bed. As she put the blankets back on, while Sue Li went around picking up stuff, Mandy, Lisa Turpin, and Padma Patil walked in.

"What happened?" Padma asked, confused.

"Don't know," Sue Li said.

Mandy went to her trunk and noticed the pockets on her robes had been upturned. "I think someone's been looking for something. Is there anything missing from you?"

It took a while, but they managed to get everything sorted, and Hailey tossed the last of the Lockhart books in her trunk, she realized the diary wasn't there.

"Riddle's diary's gone," Hailey whispered to Mandy.

Mandy gaped, " _What_?"

Hailey motioned toward the door and they left to the common room. Michael was reading some book called _The Decline of Pagan Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot. They joined him at the table and told him about what happened.

Michael looked surprised and a little uncomfortable at the news. "Only a girl could go upstairs."

"Only a Ravenclaw can enter," Mandy said.

"Hermione and Ron came in during Christmas. Hermione answered the riddle," Hailey pointed out.

"So, the person who trashed your dormitory is smart and a female," Michael said.

"Who else knows about Riddle's diary, other than Ron and Hermione?" Mandy asked.

"Hermione wouldn't trash the dormitory to look for it," Hailey said. "She knows which bed I was sleeping in and she _wouldn't_ steal it. She would ask if she can have another look at it."

* * *

The next morning brought brilliant sunshine and a light refreshing breeze. The Ravenclaws were wearing their Quidditch robes and had their brooms with them. Hailey was reminded of Robert Hilliard, their previous prefect's, welcoming message, telling them to have make sure that they had everything with them, because of the riddle.

"This is perfect Qudditch weather!" said Roger Davis happily. He dropped toast on his teams' plates.

Hailey was busy looking at the Ravenclaws, wondering if any of the other girls stole Riddle's diary for some reason.

"Are you all right?" Cho asked looking at Hailey.

Hailey blinked, "I'm fine."

Mandy walked up to Hailey, "Michael says he that he has something important to tell us."

Hailey grabbed her broomstick and followed Mandy and Michael out of the Great Hall with Hermione and Ron following after them. Hailey was a bit nervous about what it was that Michael had to tell them.

"What is it?" Ron asked eyeing Michael.

Michael started, "It's about—"

" _Kill this time…let me rip…tear…"_

"What?" Hailey blurted out and the others jumped in alarm. "The voice!" she looked at them. "I just heard it again—You didn't hear it?"

Ron was wide-eyed and Mandy was looking like she was thinking hard. Michael was looking at the staircase and Hermione clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Hailey—I think I've just understood something! I've got to go the library!" Hermione said.

"I'll go with you. I think we need to collaborate on it," Mandy said, following after Hermione.

"What did they figure out?" Hailey asked bewildered.

"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.

Hailey looked at Michael and squinted at him. "What were you going to say that was so important?"

"It's about Riddle's diary," Michael started.

"Did you figure out who took it?" Hailey asked eagerly.

"Actually…" Michael started, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall, talking loudly, and making their way to the Quidditch pitch.

"You better get moving—it's nearly eleven," Ron said. "The match—"

Hailey went after the Ravenclaw team to the locker room, wondering what it was that Mandy and Hermione figured out. She took slight comfort over the thought that at least there wouldn't be many targets for the voice to attack. There were Mandy and Hermione, but they were bright, they could handle themselves. After Roger gave the usual pep talk that boiled down to, "Crush our opponents into the dirt. Not literally but it won't hurt to try."

The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Roger Davis and Jason Samuels took off around the goalpost, for a pre-game warm-up flight. Madam Hooch released the balls, while the Hufflepuff team, in canary yellow robes, huddled together for probably a last-minute tactics discussion.

Hailey just mounted her broom when she noticed Professor McGonagall, half running and half marching across the Qudditch pitch, holding a purple megaphone.

Professor McGonagall said into the megaphone, "This match has been canceled." She was addressing the whole stadium. There was boos and shouts. Roger and Jason both looking devastated, landed. She continued, "All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

She lowered the megaphone and beckoned Hailey over to her. "Potter, I think you'd better come with me…"

Hailey passed her broom to Cho and ran after Professor McGonagall, wondering what it was that Professor McGonagall suspected her of doing. Ron and Michael ran up as they made their way to the castle.

Professor McGonagall looked at them. "Yes, perhaps you better come too, Weasely and Corner."

There were some students that were around them, some grumbling about the match being cancelled and others were looking worried.

The three second years followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase. Professor McGonagall led them to the infirmary instead of somebody's office this time. In a surprising gentle voice, Professor McGonagall said, "This will be a bit of a shock. There has been another attack…a _triple_ attack."

Hailey's heart sped up, realizing who the professor was talking about. Michael grabbed Hailey's hand and gave it a squeeze. His hand was kind of sweaty and released her hand. Professor McGonagall pushed open the door. Madam Pomfrey was bending over a sixth year, with long, blonde curly hair.

Hailey gaped, "Penelope?" On the bed next to Penelope was—

" _Hermione_!" Ron groaned. On the bed next to Hermione's was—

"Mandy!" Michael gasped.

Hermione and Mandy both lay there, their eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them." She held up a small circular mirror.

They shook their head, staring at Hermione and Mandy.

"I will escort you two to Ravenclaw Tower, and then escort Weasley back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall. "I need to address the students in any case."

* * *

"All students will return to their House common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No students is to use the lavatory unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Ravenclaws packed inside the common room listened to Professor Flitwick in silence. He rolled up the parchment that he was reading from.

"So are they going to shut the school down?" Padma asked sounding worried.

"It is likely that school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught," Professor Flitwick said sadly. "I urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about the culprit, come forward. Stay safe, everyone." With that, he walked out of the common room.

"Two Ravenclaws are now down, two Gryffindors, a Gryffindor ghost, one Hufflepuff, and a cat," Colton Taylor said. "Why hasn't any Slytherins been attacked yet?"

"That's because the Heir of Slytherin is controlling the Monster of Slytherin," Lisa Turpin said. "The Heir is obviously protecting them."

"Isn't Mandy a half-blood?" Marietta Edgecomb asked. "Why would the monster of Slytherin attack her?"

Michael whispered in Hailey's ear, "Now what do we do?"

Hailey thought about it. If the culprit wasn't caught, she would go back dealing with the Dursleys and Dudley's gang. She would probably get her head shoved in a toilet at Stonewall High, if Dudley was to believe. Tom Riddle turned Hagrid in because he was looking at going back to living at a Muggle orphanage during World War II if the school closed. Hailey knew how he felt, except for the war part.

"Do you think they suspect Hagrid?" Michael asked.

"We've got to talk to him," Hailey responded. "I don't think Hagrid released it this time. If he did set it loose last time, he would know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets. We have to ask him."

"How are we going to get Ron? We don't even know the password to Gryffindor and we're not exactly allowed in there?" Michael asked.

"I'll send a message to Ron through Hedwig, telling him to meet us outside his common room at a specific time," Hailey said, going up to the dormitory to get some parchment and a quill. She wrote a message down and folded it. She asked Robert Hilliard, Ravenclaw's Head Boy to accompany her to the Owlery to send a message.

* * *

Hailey waited for Sue Li, Lisa, and Padma to go to sleep, before picking up her Invisibility Cloak that she inherited from her father. After heading down the staircase, she saw Michael walking out of the boys' dormitory. He walked down the staircase and Hailey tossed the Invisibility Cloak over them.

"They were debating that the Slytherins are doing it," Michael whispered to Hailey as they walked to the dormitory entrance. "It adds up. The Heir of Slytherin, the Monster of Slytherin, no Slytherins being attacked…I think they're now terrified because Mandy's a half-blood. They believe that no one is safe now, not even half-bloods."

The journey to Gryffindor Tower was nerve-wracking because the castle was crowded, which teachers, prefects, ghosts, Head Boys and Head Girls, were marching the corridors in pairs, looking for any unusual noise.

After getting Ron, there was a tense moment when Ron stubbed his toes and swore, at the same time as Snape sneezed.

It was relieving when they got to the oak front doors and eased them open.

It was a nice clear, starry night. They hurried to the lit windows of Hagrid's house and pulled off the Cloak when they reached his front door.

Seconds after knocking, the front door flung open and they came face-to-face with a crossbow aimed at them. Michael grabbed Hailey's arm and took a step backward. Fang, the boarhound, barked loudly behind Hagrid.

"Oh," Hagrid said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you three doin' here?"

Hailey pointed at the crossbow as they stepped inside. "What's that for?"

"Nothin'—nothing'—" muttered Hagrid. "I've bin expectin'—doesn' matter—Sit down—I'll make tea—"

Hailey noticed that Hagrid hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire because he spilt water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you okay, Hagrid? Did you hear about Hermione and Mandy?" Hailey asked.

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice. He kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them large mugs of boiling water.

Michael held up his mug, looking at Hagrid, "I think you—"

He was interrupted by a knock on the door and Hagrid dropped the fruitcake he was holding.

Ron, Hailey, and Michael exchanged panicked looks. Hailey threw the Invisibility Cloak over them and they retreated to a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung opened his door once more.

"Good evening, Hagrid," said Dumbledore's voice. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very oddly dressed man.

The man had rumpled grey hair and was looking anxious. He was wearing a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. He was carrying a lime-green bowler hat under one arm.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed from between Hailey and Michael. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic." Hailey and Michael both elbowed Ron hard to make him shut up.

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in a rather clipped tone. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns and one attack on a half-blood. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir—"

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something—the school governors have been in touch—"

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler hat. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty—"

"Take me?" demanded Hagrid, trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology—"

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.

 _They're taking him to Azkaban?_ Hailey thought horrified, shaking at the thought.

There was another loud knock on the door and Dumbledore answered it. Lucius Malfoy was standing there and Hailey gasped. Ron elbowed her in the ribs.

Lucius was wearing a long black, traveling cloak. He smiled in a cold and satisfied way. Fang started to growl at him.

"Already here, Fudge," Lucius said approvingly. "Good, good…"

"What're you doin' here?" asked Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your—er—d'you call this a house?" replied Lucius, sneering as he looked around the small cabin.

"Git," Michael muttered and Hailey reached across Ron, smacking him in the stomach.

"I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" asked Dumbledore, politely.

" _Dreadful_ thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension—you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing you touch. How many attacks have there been now? Three more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an _awful_ loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended—no, no—last thing we want just now—"

"The appointment—or suspension—of the headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks—"

"See here, Malfoy, if _Dumbledore_ can't stop them," said Fudge. "I mean to say, who _can_?"

"That remains to be seen," said Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted—"

Hagrid jumped to his feet, his head grazed the ceiling and he roared, "An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?"

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," replied Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang cower and whimper is his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns and half-bloods won' stand a chance! There'll be killin' next!"

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," Dumbledore said sharply and looked at Malfoy. "If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside—"

"B-but—" stuttered Fudge.

" _No_!" growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore didn't remove his eyes from Malfoy's cold grey eyes. "However," he spoke very slowly and clearly, "you will find that I will only _truly_ have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

Hailey was sure that Dumbledore's eyes flickered toward where they were standing.

"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy bowing. "We shall all miss your—er—highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any—ah— _killins_." He walked to the door, opened it, and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his hat, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him.

Hagrid, however stood his ground, took a deep breath, and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some _stuff_ , all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the _spiders_. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'." Fudge stared at him. "All righ', I'm comin'." He pulled on his moleskin overcoat and was about to follow Fudge through the door, when he stopped again. He said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away." He walked out and the door slammed shut.

Ron pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and said hoarsely, "We're in trouble now. No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."

Fang started howling and scratching at the door.

Michael went to the boarhound and started trying to comfort the boarhound. "It's going to be all right, Fang. We're going to try our hardest to get him out. We're not going to let him rot in that hellhole." He kissed Fang's head and the boarhound proceeded to slobber all over him.

* * *

A/N: What Michael was going to say about Riddle's diary will be brought up in a chapter, although I'm sure it would be easy to guess what he did.


	15. Aragog

Summer was creeping over the castle; the sky and lake both turning into a periwinkle blue, while flowers as big as cabbages were blooming into the greenhouses. Hailey would've enjoyed it, but it wasn't the same without spotting Hagrid from the castle with Fang at his side. Michael was using the Invisibility Cloak to go down to Hagrid's house to feed Fang and try to comfort him.

In History of Magic, Ernie Macmillan did apologize for ever suspecting her because he knew that she wouldn't just randomly attack Hermione and Mandy. Hailey accepted his apology but Michael didn't seem ready to forgive Ernie. Ernie decided that Draco Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin instead.

Hailey, Ron, and Michael did try to visit Hermione and Mandy, but visitors were barred from the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey had told them through a crack in the door, "We're taking no more chances." When they tried to argue about it, "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"

Now with Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so now with the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried and tense. Any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural, was quickly stifled.

Hailey constantly repeated Dumbledore's final words to herself. _"I will only truly have left his school when none here are loyal to me…Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."_ She wasn't sure what good those words were and Michael had asked who they were supposed to ask for help. It seemed like everyone was just as confused and scared as they were.

Michael, Ron, and Hailey agreed that Hagrid's hint about the spiders were far easier to understand. The thing was, it seemed like there wasn't any spiders left in Hogwarts to follow. They and, a reluctant Ron, looked everywhere they went. However, they were hampered because they weren't allowed to wander off on their own. Ron had to move around the castle in a pack of Gryffindors, while Hailey and Michael were supposed to move around in a pack of Ravenclaws. It seemed like most of their fellow students were glad to be shepherded from class to class by teachers, but Hailey found it annoying because she wanted to look for spiders to follow.

There was one person who seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion. Draco Malfoy was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed Head Boy. Hailey soon realized why Malfoy was so pleased, two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid left, when she heard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle, in Potions.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," Malfoy said, not bothering to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't want the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long; she's only filling in…"

Snape walked past Hailey and Michael, making no comment about Mandy's empty seat and cauldron.

"Sir," said Malfoy loudly, "Sir, why don't _you_ apply for the headmaster's job?"

Hailey and Michael looked at each other. Michael rolled his eyes and pretended to jab something in his neck, causing Hailey to smile.

"Now, now, Malfoy," said Snape, giving a thin-lipped smile. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon enough."

Malfoy was now smirking. "Yeah, right. I expect you'd have Father's vote, sir, if you wanted to apply for the job—I'll tell Father you're the best teacher here, sir—"

"Kill me now," Hailey mouthed to Michael, disgusted at that display of brown nosing.

"With what?" Michael mouthed back.

"I'm quite surprised the Mudbloods and half-bloods haven't all packed their bags by now," Malfoy continued. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger—"

Hailey really wanted to chuck her empty cauldron at Malfoy. It would be worth serving detention and losing points to Ravenclaw for it. Before she could, the bell rang, and there was a scramble to get their bags and books.

"I want to punch that prat in the face," Michael said.

"Hurry up," Snape barked. "I have to take you all to Herbology."

On the way to Herbology, Michael told Ron what Malfoy had said.

"Let me at him," Ron growled. "I don't care. I don't need my wand; I'm going to kill him with my bare hands—"

In the Greenhouse, there were two missing, Hermione and Mandy. Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs.

"What do you think Dumbledore meant by, ' _Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it_ ,' anyway?" Michael asked Ron and Hailey, trying to have another conversation onto that topic.

"Well, we obviously have to ask for help, but that leaves the question on who we're supposed to ask," Ron said.

Hailey busied herself with dropping an armful of withered stalks onto a compost heap, while the boys debated about Dumbledore's hints.

"Well, I guess it's obvious what _'I will only truly have left his school when none here are loyal to me_ ' means," Michael said. "If no one is loyal to him, he will truly be gone, but he's only suspended."

Hailey wasn't sure what to even think about what Dumbledore said.

"Hey, where are you two planning on visiting to in Hogsmeade, next term?" Ron asked, pulling off dead Shrivelfigs twigs. "Fred and George says that Honeydukes has good sweets."

Hailey and Michael exchanged looks. That was a random change of topic.

Hailey looked back at her Shrivelfigs. She knew that third years needed to have a signed permission slip by a parent or guardian, but considering Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's hatred of magic and her, they wouldn't dare to sign it or even look at the form. She could probably bribe them, but she wouldn't hold out any hope. She spotted large spiders scuttling over the ground on the side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line, as though taking the shortest rout to a prearranged meeting. She smacked Ron and Michael upside the head.

Ron exclaimed, " _Ouch_! What're you—"

"What was that for?" Michael asked.

Hailey pointed at the spiders and followed their progress with her eyes, narrowing them against the sun.

"Oh, yeah," said Ron, trying and failing to look pleased. "But we can't follow them now—"

Hailey's eyes narrowed as she focused on the spiders, knowing that they were pursuing a fixed course, but there wasn't any doubt about where they would end up. "Looks like they're heading for the Forbidden Forest…" She noticed that Ron looked unhappy at the thought.

At the end of the lesson, Professor Sprout led them to their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, though they lagged behind to talk.

"We'll have to use the Invisibility Cloak again," Hailey told them. "We can take Fang with us. He's used to going into the forest with Hagrid, he might be some help."

"Right," said Ron, twirling his wand nervously in his fingers. "Er—aren't there—aren't there supposed to be werewolves in the forest?"

"I haven't seen any werewolves when I was in there, but there are centaurs and unicorns," Michael said.

"Meet you outside your common room at midnight," Hailey said, and Ron nodded, before they split up.

When Hailey and Michael sat down in seats at the back, Lockhart bounded in, looking very cheerful. They just stared at him, as the other teachers were looking grim.

"Come now," said Lockhart, beaming around him. "Why all the long faces?" Hailey and Michael looked at each other, exasperated. He spoke slowly, as if they were all dim, "Don't you people realize the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away—"

"Who said that?" Anthony Goldstein demanded.

"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he hadn't been one hundred percent sure that he was guilty," said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two.

"I'm sure that he _would_ ," Terry Boot said loudly.

"I flatter myself I know a _touch_ more about Hagrid's arrest than you do Mr Boot," said Lockhart in a self-satisfied tone.

For the rest of the "lesson", Lockhart was being disgustingly cheerful. He was hinting that he had always thought that Hagrid was up to no good, and his confidence that the whole business was now at end. It was irritating Hailey so much, that she wanted to chuck her books at Lockhart's face to get him to shut up.

"Do you know where I want to shove these books?" Michael asked Hailey, who had an inkling that she knew where.

* * *

Waiting for the Ravenclaws to trickle out was boring. Anthony, Terry, and Colton Taylor had talked them into a playing a few rounds of Exploding Snap. Hailey kept an eye on the time trying to lose as much as possible, so she can leave.

It was twelve-ten before the other three went to bed. Hailey jumped up, ran to the couch and removed a cushion. She pulled out her Invisibility Cloak and threw it around her and Michael. They made their way out of the common room and down the tight spiraling staircase. They made their way over to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Hey, what were you going to say about Riddle's diary before all this happened?" Hailey asked.

"I asked Susanna Fawcett to look in your dormitory so I can hide it. She came back and said she couldn't find it. I figured that she just didn't look hard enough," Michael whispered. "Then your dorm was found ransacked and I put two-and-two together. If Susanna threw all your stuff everywhere, I'm sure she would've found it. Someone else must've gone in there and actually stole it."

They made it to the Gryffindor common room where Ron was slipping out. They threw the cloak around Ron and they hurried as quickly and quietly as they can. Hailey explained to Ron what Michael had told her.

At last they reached the entrance hall, slid back the lock on the oak doors, squeezed between them, trying to stop any creaking, and stepped out into the moonlit grounds.

"'Course," said Ron abruptly, as they walked across the black grass. "We might get to the forest and find there's nothing to follow. Those spiders might not've been going there at all. I know it looked like they were moving in that sort of general direction, but…" he trailed off, sounding hopeful.

They reached Hagrid's house, which looked sad and sorry-looking without any lights on. When they opened the door, Fang looked happy at the sight of them and started barking. Worried that he might wake everyone at the castle with his loud, booming barks, Hailey and Ron feed him some treacle toffee to keep him quiet. Hailey left her Invisibility Cloak on the table, knowing that there wouldn't be any need for it in the forest.

"Let's go, Fang, we're going for a walk," Michael said, opening the door. Fang followed after them as they went outside and the boarhound went straight for the edge of a forest.

Hailey took out her wand and said, " _Lumos_!" A tiny light appeared on the end of her wand.

Michael took out his wand and said, " _Lumos_!" causing a tiny light to appear at the end of his wand.

"Good thinking," Ron said to Hailey and Michael. "I'd light mine too, but you know—it'd probably blow up or something…" Michael tapped them on the shoulders and pointed at the grass, where two spiders were scuttling into the trees, away from the wandlight. Ron seemed to be steeling himself, "Okay." He sighed, "I'm ready. Let's go."

Fang scampered around them, sniffing at tree roots and leaves. The three second years walked into the forest, following behind the steady trickle of spiders, using the wandlight.

They followed for maybe twenty minutes, not speaking and trying to listen for anything other than snapping twigs and rustling leaves. The trees were beginning to get thicker and the stars were no longer visible. With the light from Michael and Hailey's wands, they saw the spiders leaving the path.

Hailey squinted, trying to see where the spiders were going but outside the two spheres of light, everything else was pitch-black.

"I don't think we've been this deep in the forest before," Michael whispered.

Hailey nodded, remembering that Hagrid had said to never stray from the path, but Hagrid was miles away in a cell in Azkaban with those…those _guards_. She nearly shuddered at the thought, but Hagrid had also said to follow the spiders. Something wet touched Hailey's arm and stepped jumped back, stepping on Ron's foot and crashing into him, causing Ron to stumble backwards right into Michael, almost making Michael fall backwards to the ground. It turned out that it was Fang's nose that bumped into Hailey's arm.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "What d'you reckon?"

"We've come this far," said Ron and Michael nodded.

They walked off the path, following the darting shadows of the spiders into the trees. They couldn't move very quickly now since there were tree roots and stumps in their way, slightly visible in the darkness. More than once, they stopped so Hailey or Michael can crouch down to look for the spiders.

They continued to walk for thirty minutes, and Hailey helped Michael remove his robes from branches and brambles.

"Hey, is it just me or is the ground sloping down?" Michael asked, grabbing Hailey's arm as she stumbled over a root. The trees still looked as thick as ever.

"I think you're right," Ron said. Fang suddenly let loose a giant bark. "What?" He grabbed onto Hailey's elbow, very hard.

"I think I hear something," Michael said.

They heard something that sounded like branches breaking.

"There's something moving over there," Hailey said. "Listen…sounds like something big."

On their right, it sounded like it was carving a path through the trees as it continued to break branches.

"Oh, no," moaned Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh—"

"Ssh," Michael hissed.

"Shut up, both of you," snapped Hailey. "It'll hear you."

"Hear _me_?" asked Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"

The darkness seemed to be pressing in as they stood there waiting and terrified. Hailey grabbed onto Michael's arm, shaking. There was a strange rumbling noise and then silence.

"What d'you think it's doing?" Hailey asked.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," Ron said.

"We're going to die," Michael said.

"We're not going to die," Hailey told him firmly, still shivering.

"Yeah, can't you be more positive for once?" Ron asked his voice cracking.

"I'm positive that we're going to die quickly and painlessly," Michael said with forced cheerfulness.

"D'you think it's gone?" Hailey whispered.

Ron muttered, "Dunno—maybe it heard M—"

A sudden blaze of light, so bright in the darkness came on their right. It was so bright, the three of them flung up their hands to shield their eyes. Fang yelped and tried to run, but got tangled up in thorns, causing him to yelp even louder and Michael went to help Fang.

"Hailey! Michael!" Ron shouted in relief. "Hailey! Michael! It's the car!"

Hailey wasn't sure if she heard right, " _What_?"

Ron shouted, "Come on!"

Hailey looked back at Michael, who managed to untangle Fang from the thorns. She followed after Ron towards the light, stumbling and tripping. After a moment, they emerged into a clearing.

Mr Weasley's car was empty and idling in the middle of a circle of thick trees under a roof of dense branches, with its headlights ablaze. Ron walked, gaping, toward it, and the car moved slowly towards him, like an overgrown turquoise dog, greetings its owner.

"It's been here all this time!" exclaimed Ron delightedly. He walked around the car. "Look at it. The forest's turned it wild…"

The sides of the car were scratched and smeared with mud. Apparently it had taken to trundling around the forest on its own. Fang didn't seem keen on it, keeping close to Michael, who was patting him on the head. Hailey was finally slowing down her breathing and stuffed her wand back into her robes.

"And we thought it was going to attack us!" declared Ron, leaning against the car and patting it. "I wondered where it had gone!"

Hailey squinted and looked around the floodlit ground for signs of more spiders, but they scuttled away from the glare of the headlights. She groaned, "We've lost the trail. C'mon, let's go and find them." She noticed how Ron stared, fixed on a point right above Hailey, behind her. Ron was pale and looking terrified.

She glanced at Michael, who seemed to have gone pale too and he pointed. "Th-that's—"

There was a loud clicking noise and something long and hairy seized her around the middle. She was lifted off the ground, so she was hanging face-down. She struggled and let out a squeak of terror. There was more clicking and she saw Ron and Michael's legs leave the ground, too. She heard Fang whimpering and howling, but he was swept up into the dark trees.

"Fang!" Michael shouted horrified.

Hailey noticed that what had a hold of her was walking on six immensely long, hairy legs. The front two legs that were clutching her were below a pair of shining black pincers. Behind her, she could another one of the creatures, which were holding either Ron or Michael, who was swearing furiously. She was sure that they were being carried into the very heart of the forest. She could hear Fang whining loudly, trying to free himself from a fourth monster. She couldn't scream, swear, or even use a spell if she wanted to. All she could do was think about the monster. What did she know walked on eight hairy legs, had pincers, and was big enough to carry them?

The darkness suddenly lifted enough for her to see that the leaf-strewn ground was now swarming with spiders.

 _What do I know about this?_ Hailey thought. _I know I read something about this in_ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them _._

"These are Acromantula!" Michael shouted.

"That's a big help!" Ron shouted at him. "What does it have to do with us?"

"Hold on, I'm thinking!" Michael replied.

"Think faster!" Ron shouted.

They reached the ridge of a vast hollow that had been cleared of trees, so the stars shone brightly onto the worst scene she'd ever laid eyes on. There were spiders, not tiny ones, like the ones that were surging over the leaves. They were spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy gigantic spiders. The Acromantula that was carrying Hailey made its way down the steep slop toward a misty, domed web in the very center of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of her.

She was released and she fell on the ground as the Acromantula released her. Ron, Fang, and Michael fell next to her. Fang was cowering on the spot, not even howling. Ron's mouth was now wide open in some sort of silent scream and his eyes were popping. Michael was huddled next to Fang.

"Are you okay?" Michael asked looking at Hailey and she nodded.

The Acromantula that had carried Hailey was now speaking, but it clicked his pincers with every word. "Aragog!" it called. "Aragog!"

At least, that's what Hailey thought it was saying. From the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged, very slowly. There was grey in the black of his body and legs, each of the eyes on his ugly, pincered head milky white. Hailey realized with a jolt that he was blind.

"What is it?" he said, clicking his pincers rapidly.

"Humans," clicked the spider who had caught Hailey.

"Is it Hagrid?" asked Aragog, moving closer. His eight milky eyes wandering vaguely.

"Strangers," clicked the spider who had brought Ron.

"Kill them," clicked Aragog fretfully. "I was sleeping…"

Hailey, on both knees on the ground, tried to summon bravery that she knew she must have. She shouted from the ground, "We're friends of Hagrid's!" Her heart was beating rapidly and she was trembling.

There was a clicking noise as all the spiders clicked their pincers, all around the hollow.

Aragog seemed to have paused and finally said slowly, "Hagrid has never sent men and women into our hollow before."

"Hagrid's in trouble," said Hailey, breathing very fast. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" asked the aged spider. Hailey thought that there might've been some concern beneath the clicking pincers. "But why has he sent you?"

Hailey considered getting to her feet, but decided not to. "They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a—a—something on students. They've taken him to Azkaban."

Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and all around the hollow the sound was echoed by the crowd of spiders; it was like applause, except it never made Hailey feel sick with fear.

"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully. "Years and years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that _I_ was the monster the dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought that Hagrid had opened the Chamber and set me free."

Hailey could feel cold sweat on her forehead. "And you…you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets, did you?"

"I!" cried Aragog, clicking angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I was come from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me on scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friends, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness…"

Hailey looked at Michael, who was looking ill at the thought. She looked at Aragog and tried to keep a hold of her courage and bravery before it vanished. "So you never—never attacked anyone?"

"Never," croaked the old spider. "It would have been my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of the girl who was killed was discovered in a lavatory. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet…"

"But then…Do you know what _did_ kill that girl?" asked Hailey. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again—" her word were drowned by a loud outbreak of clicking and the rustling of many long legs shifting angrily. The Acromantula shifted all around them.

"The thing that lives in the castle is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school," explained Aragog.

"What is it?" asked Hailey urgently.

There was loud clicking and more rustling as the spiders seemed to be closing in.

"We do no speak of it!" said Aragog fiercely. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that dread creature, though he asked me, many times."

Aragog seemed to be tired of talking, as he was backing slowly into his domed web, but his fellow spiders seemed to be slowly moving closer to Hailey, Michael, Ron, and Fang.

"We'll just go, then," Hailey called desperately to Aragog, hearing rustling behind her.

"Go?" asked Aragog slowly. "I think not…"

Michael stuttered, "but—but—"

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Good-bye, friend of Hagrid," Aragog said.

Hailey spun around to see that some feet away, towering over her was a solid wall of spiders, clicking, their many eyes gleaming in their ugly black heads. She reached for her wand, but there were too many of them. She and Michael probably didn't have a chance, especially since Ron's wand won't work or backfire on them. She was ready to die fighting and considering using _Lumos Solem_ on them, since they like the dark. There was a loud, long note of a car horn going off, and there was a blaze of light flaming through the hollow. Mr Weasley's car was thundering down the slop, headlights glaring, its horn screeching, knocking spiders aside; several being thrown onto their backs, their endless legs waving in the air. The car screech to a halt in front of the three second years and Fang, the doors flying open.

"Get Fang!" Hailey yelled, running into the front seat. Ron and Michael seized Fang the boarhound, and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car. Michael jumped into the back of the car, and Ron got in the front seat as well. The doors slammed shut and the engine roared. They were off, hitting more spiders. They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and they were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows as the car wound its way cleverly through the widest gaps, following a path that it knew.

Hailey looked at Ron, who was still gaping, but his eyes weren't wide anymore. She asked, "Are you okay?"

Ron stared straight ahead, unable to speak. They smashed their way through the undergrowth, Fang howling loudly in the back seat, Michael trying to calm down the boarhound, and Hailey watched as the side mirror snap off as they squeezed past a large oak.

"Are you all right?" Hailey asked, looking back at Michael.

"Yeah," he said, scratching Fang behind the ears, in an attempt to calm him down.

After ten minutes of a rocky journey, the trees thinned and she could see patches of sky.

The car stopped so suddenly that they were nearly thrown into the windshield, as they reached the edge of the forest. Fang flung himself at the window, anxious to get out. Michael opened the door and Fang shot off through the trees to Hagrid's house, tail between his legs. Michael said, "Poor Fang, I think he's scarred for life now."

After a minute or so, Hailey got out of the car, still shaking. Ron seemed to regain the feeling in his limbs and followed after, stiff-necked and staring. Michael followed after them, shaking himself, as if he could still feel being grabbed by the Acromantula.

Hailey and Michael went back into Hagrid's cabin to the Invisibility Cloak. Fang was trembling under a blanket in his basket and Michael patted Fang's head.

"That was…something," Hailey said.

"Yeah," Michael responded.

They left the house and found Ron being violently sick in the pumpkin patch. "Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Hailey.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" exclaimed Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out and look where it's got him! A cell in Azkaban!" He was shivering uncontrollably now. "What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"

"Hagrid didn't open the Chamber of Secrets," said Michael.

Hailey threw the Invisibility Cloak over them and prodded Ron's arm to make him start walking. "He was innocent."

Ron snorted, as if hatching Aragog in a cupboard wasn't his idea of being innocent.

As the castle loomed nearer, Hailey twitched the Cloak to make sure that their feet were hidden, and Michael pushed the creaking front door ajar. They walked carefully back across the entrance hall and up the marble staircase, holding their breath as they passed corridors where watchful sentries were walking. At last they reached Gryffindor Tower and waited until Ron was safely inside, before heading to Ravenclaw Tower.

Hailey was thinking very hard about what Aragog said. The creature was lurking somewhere in the castle, which sounded like a monster Voldemort, since other monsters didn't want to name it. They weren't close to finding out what it was, or how it Petrified its victims. Not even Hagrid ever knew what was in the Chamber of Secrets.

They went up the spiraling staircase; Hailey wasn't even sure what else they could do, since they kept hitting dead ends everywhere. Tom Riddle caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin was never caught, and she wasn't sure if there was a different person opening it or if it was the same person.

She was still thinking about what Aragog said when Michael answered the riddle to the common room entrance. It opened and they walked in.

She blinked and removed the Invisibility Cloak. "Michael—" he turned around to look at her. "It's about that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a lavatory." It seemed to dawn on him. "What if she never left? What if she's still there?"

Michael blinked at her, "You think it's… _Moaning Myrtle_?"


	16. Chamber of Secrets

The next morning, Hailey and Michael told Ron what they thought of on the way to the Great Hall. "All those time we were in that lavatory, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly. "And we could've asked her, and now…"

"I think the teachers knew about where she died," Michael said. "Professor Flitwick said that a teacher has to accompany us to the lavatory, too."

Hailey figured that trying to ask a teacher to use the lavatory and trying to question Moaning Myrtle about her death was going to be impossible.

Ten minutes in Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall said, "Your exams will start on the first June."

Stephen Cornfoot let out a squeak at that, " _Exams_?"

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," Professor McGonagall said. "The exams will therefore take place as usual, and I trust you are all studying hard."

Hailey and Michael looked at each other. Studying and exams never occurred to Hailey, especially with the state that the castle was in. Especially since Colin Creevey missed like seven months of school and the others missed months, too. How can there be exams? There was muttering from the Slytherins side, which made Professor McGonagall scowl. She said, "Professor Dumbledore's instructions were to keep the school running as normally as possible. And that, I need hardly point out, means finding out how much you have learned this year."

Hailey looked down at the pair of white rabbits she was supposed to be turning into slippers. What had she learned so far this year? She couldn't seem to think of anything that would be useful in an exam, especially since she learned nothing in Defense Against the Dark Arts.

When they told Ron about the announcement, Ron looked like he'd just been told to go and live in the Forbidden Forest, especially now he learned that Acromantula lived in there and his Arachnophobia. "Can you imagine me taking exams with this?" He held up his wand, which started whistling loudly.

* * *

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast. "I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" Susanna Fawcett squealed.

"Quidditch matches are back on!" Oliver Wood roared excitedly.

When the hubbub subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Hailey looked over at the Slytherin table and wasn't surprised to see that Draco Malfoy hadn't joined in. She and Michael went to sit over at the Gryffindor table, in front of Ron to talk privately. She looked over to see that Ron, however, was looking happier than he'd looked in days.

"It won't matter that we never asked Myrtle, then," Ron said to Hailey. "Hermione and Mandy'll probably have all the answers when they wake them up! Mind you, Hermione'll go crazy when she finds out we've got exams in three days' time. She hasn't studied. It might be kinder to leave her where she is till they're over."

Ginny Weasley walked over and sat down next to Ron. She looked tense and nervous.

"What's up?" asked Ron, helping himself to more porridge. Ginny didn't say anything, but glanced up and down the Gryffindor table with a scared look on her face that reminded Hailey of someone, though she couldn't think who.

"Spit it out," ordered Ron, watching her.

Hailey realized that Ginny looked like Dobby, rocking backward and forward slightly in her chair, exactly like Dobby when he was teetering on the edge of revealing forbidden information.

Ginny mumbled something to Ron and Hailey frowned, "What is it?"

Ginny looked as if she couldn't figure out how to phrase whatever she was going to say.

" _What_?" demanded Ron. Ginny opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Hailey leaned forward and whispered, "Is it something about the Chamber of Secrets? Have you seen something? Someone acting oddly?"

Ginny took a deep breath and, at that precise moment, Percy Weasley appeared, looking tired and wan. "If you've finished eating, I'll take that seat, Ginny. I'm starving, I've only just come off patrol duty."

Ginny jumped up as though her chair had just been electrified, gave Percy a fleeting, frightened look, and scampered away.

"That…was odd," Michael said.

Percy sat down and grabbed a mug from the center of the table.

"Percy!" Ron snapped angrily. "She was just about to tell us something important."

Halfway through a gulp of tea, Percy choked, causing Hailey to jerk back in surprise. "What sort of thing?"

Hailey explained, "I just asked her if she'd seen anything odd, and she started to say—"

"Oh—that—that's nothing do with the Chamber of Secrets," interrupted Percy at once.

"How do you know?" asked Ron, his eyebrows raised.

Percy sputted, "Well, er, if you must know, Ginny, er, walked in on me the other day when I was—well, never mind—the point is, she spotted me doing something and I, um, I asked her not to mention it to anybody. I must say, I didn't think she'd keep her word. It's nothing, really, I'd just rather—"

Hailey couldn't recall ever seeing Percy look so uncomfortable.

"What were you doing, Percy?" Ron asked grinning. "Go on; tell us, we won't laugh."

Hailey looked at Michael, who was now smirking.

Percy didn't smile, "Pass me those rolls, Hailey, I'm starving." Hailey passed him the rolls and Percy looked at her, then at Michael. He squinted at them, "Get back to the Ravenclaw table, you two!" Hailey and Michael both got up and went to the Ravenclaw table.

* * *

Hailey didn't want to pass up a chance to speak to Myrtle, even if the mystery would be solved tomorrow without their help, if it turned up. To her delight, the chance did turn up, mid-morning, when they were being led to History of Magic by Gilderoy Lockhart.

Lockhart had so often assured them that all danger had passed, only to be proved wrong right away, was now wholeheartedly convinced that it was hardly worth the trouble to see them safely down the corridors. His hair wasn't as sleek as usual; it seemed he had been up most of the night, patrolling the fourth floor.

"Mark my words," Lockhart said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out those poor Petrified people's mouths will be ' _It was Hagrid_.' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."

"I agree, sir," responded Hailey, making Michael freeze, causing Sue Li to nearly walk into him.

"Thank you, Hailey," said Lockhart graciously while they waited for the long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night."

"That's right," said Michael, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go—"

"You know, Corner, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare my next class—" He hurried off.

Michael snorted, "Yeah, right." He sneered, "Going to talk himself up to someone who doesn't care, more like." They let the rest of the Ravenclaws walk ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and hurried off towards Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. Just as Hailey was about to enter—

"Potter! Corner! What are you doing?" Professor McGonagall demanded. Her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines. Michael stepped behind Hailey.

"We were—we were—" Michael stammered, looking round, "We were going to—to go and see—"

"Hermione and Mandy," said Hailey. Michael and Professor McGonagall both looked at her. "We haven't seen them for ages, Professor," she hurriedly said. "And we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell them the Mandrakes are nearly ready and, er, not to worry—"

Professor McGonagall was still staring at her, and for a moment, Hailey thought she was going to yell, but when she spoke, it was in a strangely croaky voice. "Of course," she said, and Hailey, amazed, saw a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has all been hardest on the friends of those who have been…I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course, you can see Miss Granger and Miss Brocklehurt. I will inform Professor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madam Pomfrey I have given my permission."

Hailey and Michael both walked away, hardly daring to believe that they'd avoided detention. As they turned the corner, they distinctly heard Professor McGonagall blow her nose.

"That was brilliant," said Michael.

They had no choice now, but to go to the hospital wing and tell Madam Pomfrey that they had Professor McGonagall's permission to visit Hermione and Mandy.

Madam Pomfrey rather reluctantly let them in. "There's just no _point_ talking to a Petrified person," she said. They had to admit that she had a point, when they sat down next to Hermione. It was obvious that Hermione didn't have the faintest inkling that she had visitors and that they might just as well tell her bedside cabinet not to worry for all the good it would do.

"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" Ron said from behind them. Hailey and Michael both jumped at his presence. "Professor McGonagall told me that I can come visit her and Mandy." He looked sadly at Hermione's rigid face. "Because if he sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know…"

"Hey, it looks like she's holding a piece of paper," Michael whispered, pointing at Hermione's right hand. Hailey looked more closely; a piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist.

"Try and get it out," Ron whispered. He sat in a chair and shifted so that he blocked Michael from Madam Pomfrey's view.

Michael reached over and started trying to take the piece of paper from Hermione's grasp. It looked like her hand was clamped tightly. Ron kept watch for Madam Pomfrey, Hailey watched as Michael tugged and twisted the piece of paper, worried that he might rip it, but at last, he took it out. Michael smoothed the paper out, and Hailey realized it was a page torn from a very old library book. They huddled together to read it.

 _Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from it's deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._

Beneath the passage, was a single word that had been written, in handwriting that Hailey recognized as Hermione's: _Pipes_.

"Of course," Michael whispered. "It all makes sense now."

"The monster in the Chamber's a _basilisk_ —a giant serpent," Hailey breathed. "That's why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…" Hailey looked up at the bed all around her.

"The Basilisk kills when you look it in the eyes, however no one died—because no one looked it straight in the eye," Michael said.

"Colin saw it through his camera," Hailey said. "The basilisk burnt up the film. Justin…Justin must've seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick! Nick got the full blast of it, but he couldn't die _again_ …Hermione, Mandy, and Penelope were found with a mirror next to them. Hermione and Mandy realized that the monster is a basilisk."

"I bet you that they warned the first person they met to look around corners with a mirror first," Michel said. "Penelope pulled out her mirror—and—"

Ron's jaw dropped. "And Mrs Norris?" he whispered eagerly.

"The water," Michael said.

Hailey nodded, "The floor from Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. Mrs Norris only saw the reflection." She looked at the page that Michael was holding. "' _The Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it'_!" she read, "Hagrid's roosters were killed! The Heir of Slytherin didn't want one anywhere near the castle once the Chamber was opened! ' _Spiders flee before the Basilisk_ '! It all fits!"

"But how's the basilisk been getting around the place?" asked Ron. "A giant snake…Someone would've seen…"

Michael pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page. "The pipes, Ron. It's been using the plumbing. Hailey's been hearing that voice inside the walls all along."

Ron suddenly grabbed Hailey's arm. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!" he said hoarsely, "What if it's a lavatory? What if it's in—"

"— _Moaning_ _Myrtle's lavatory_ ," finished Hailey.

They sat there, excited, and hardly able to believe it.

"This mean," said Hailey suddenly, "I can't be the only Pareslmouth in the school. The Heir of Slytherin's one, too. That's how he's been controlling the basilisk."

"What're we going to do?" asked Ron. "Should we go straight to McGonagall or Flitwick?"

"Let's go to the staffroom," said Hailey, jumping up. "She'll be there in ten minutes. It's nearly break."

They ran downstairs. Not wanting to be discovered hanging around in another corridor, they went straight into the deserted staffroom. It was a large, paneled room full of dark, wooden chairs. They paced around it, too excited to sit down and Michael was counting down the minutes till break.

" _All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please."_ It was Professor McGonagall's voice, magically magnified.

Hailey, Ron, and Michael wheeled around looking at each other.

"Not another attack? Not now?" Hailey asked.

"What'll we do?" asked Ron, aghast. "Go back to our dormitories?"

"No," said Hailey, glancing around, finally spotting an ugly sort of wardrobe to her left, full of the teachers' cloaks. "In here. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out." They went inside the wardrobe, which was nearly cramped between the three of them.

They heard the rumble of hundreds of people moving overhead and the staffroom door banging open. From the musty folds of the cloaks, they watched the teachers filtering into the room. Some of them were looking puzzled, others downright scared.

Professor McGonagall arrived and said, "It has happened. A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and asked, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin left another message. Right underneath the first one. ' _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever,_ '" responded Professor McGonagall, looking very white.

Professor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" asked Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," answered Professor McGonagall.

Hailey felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor, beside her, and she grabbed onto Ron's shoulder.

"We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"

The staffroom door banged open again. For a second Hailey hoped that it was Dumbledore, but it was a beaming Lockhart instead. He said, "So sorry—dozed off—what have I missed?"

He didn't seem to notice that the others teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward, "Just the man. The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Hailey smiled as Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entranced to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

Lockhart sputtered, "I—well, I—"

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.

Lockhart stuttered, "D-did I? I don't recall—"

"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"

Lockhart stared around at his stony-face colleagues. "I—I really never—you may have misunderstood—"

"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."

Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble, "V-very well. I'll—I'll be in my office, getting—getting ready." He left the room.

"Right," said Professor McGonagall, "That's got _him_ out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories?"

The teachers rose and left one by one.

* * *

It was probably one of the worst days of Hailey's life. Hailey and Michael were sitting in a corner of the Ravenclaw common room. It was crowded and so quiet. There was a tap on the window, where Hedwig was at. Hailey got up and went to the window. She grabbed the piece of parchment that Hedwig was holding and she flew off it.

She went to the desk and unfolded it. It was a note that Ron sent her, telling them to meet him at the common room entrance at sunset.

"Eva is going to be so depressed that she didn't get to come here," Michael said.

Hailey asked, "With incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers and a basilisk roaming free?"

Michael shrugged. "Do you think Ginny knew something about the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Maybe," Hailey said. It was nearing sunset, and they got up from their chairs. They walked out of the Ravenclaw tower, without anyone pointing out that they're not allowed outside. Maybe they were all to depressed to say anything.

They meet Ron outside his common room entrance. "What is it?" Hailey asked, confused.

"I think we should go and see Lockhart," said Ron.

Michael was shocked, "What?"

"We have to tell what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell it's a basilisk in there," Ron explained.

Hailey shrugged, "I can't think of anything else to do. I want to do something."

They walked to Lockhart's office, where it seemed like there was a lot of activity going on inside it, judging from the hurried footsteps, scraping, and thumps.

Hailey knocked on the door and there was a sudden silence from inside. The door opened just the tiniest of cracks and they saw one of Lockhart's eyes peering through it.

"Oh—Miss Potter—Mr Corner—Mr Weasley—" Lockhart said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment—if you would be quick—"

"Professor, we've got some information for you," said Hailey. "We think it'll help you."

"Er—well—it's not terribly—" the side of Lockhart's that they could see looked very uncomfortable. "I mean—well—all right—" He opened the door and they entered.

His office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor. Jade-green, lilac, midnight blue coloured robes had been hastily folded into one of them; books were jumbled untidily into the other. The photographs that had covered the walls were now crammed into boxes on the desk.

"Are you going somewhere?" asked Hailey.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping at a life size poster of himself from the back of the door as he spoke and started to roll it up. "Urgent call—unavoidable—got to go—"

"What about my sister?" asked Ron jerkily.

"Well, as to that—most unfortunate—" said Lockhart, avoiding their eyes as wrenched open a drawer and started emptying the contents into a bag. "No one regrets than I—"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" snapped Hailey. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"

"Well—I must say—when I took the job—" Lockhart muttered, now piling socks on top of his robes. "Nothing in the job description—didn't expect—"

"You mean you're running away?" asked Hailey in disbelief. "After all that stuff you did in your books—"

"Books can be misleading," said Lockhart delicately.

"I knew it," Michael muttered.

"You wrote them!" Hailey shouted, ignoring what Michael said.

"My dear girl," said Lockhart, straightening up and frowning at her. "Do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think _I'd_ done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly old Armenian warlock, even if did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a hairy chin. I mean, come on—"

"So you've just been taking credit for what a load of other people have done?" Hailey asked incredulously.

"Hailey, Hailey," said Lockhart, shaking his head impatiently. "It's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's my Memory Charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Hailey. It's not all book signings and publicity photos, you know. You want fame, you have to be prepared for a long hard slog."

He banged the lids of his trunks shut and locked them. "Let's see, I think that's everything. Yes, only one thing left." He pulled out his wand and turned to them. "Awfully sorry, children, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place, I'd never sell another book—"

Hailey reached her wand in time. Just has Lockhart barely raised his, when Hailey shouted, " _Expelliarmus_!"

Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunk; his wand flew high into the air. Ron caught it and flung it out of the open window.

"Shouldn't have let Professor Snape teach us that one," said Hailey furiously. Michael kicked Lockhart's trunk to the side. Lockhart was looking up at him, feeble once more because Hailey was pointing her wand at her.

"What d'you want me to do?" asked Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"You're in luck," said Hailey, forcing Lockhart to his feet at wandpoint. "We think _we_ know where it is. _And_ what's inside it. Let's go."

They marched Lockhart out of his office and down the nearest stairs along the dark corridor where the messages shone on the wall, to the door of Moaning Myrtle's lavatory.

They sent Lockhart in first and Hailey was pleased to see that he was shaking.

Moaning Myrtle was sitting on the tank of the end toilet. She saw them. "Oh, it's you. What do you want this time?"

"We wanted to ask how you died," Michael said.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked at though she had never been asked such a flattering question. "Ooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and then I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a _boy_ speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then—" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining, "I _died_."

Michael asked, "How?"

"No idea," said Myrtle in a hushed tone. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away…" She looked dreamily at Michael. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Oliver Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed my glasses."

Michael asked, "Where exactly did you see the eyes?"

"Somewhere there," Myrtle said, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of her toilet.

The three second years hurried over to the sink. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.

It looked like an ordinary sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes bellows.

"Hey, look at this," Michael said, pointing at one of the copper taps. Hailey and Ron crouched down to look at it. Scratched on the side of one of the coppers taps was a tiny snake. Michael tried to turn it.

"That tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly.

"Hailey," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."

"That's a good idea, Ron," Michael said.

"But—" Hailey started and thought hard. The only times she'd ever managed to speak Parseltongue were when she'd been faced with a real snake. She stared hard at the tiny engraving and tried to image it was real. "Open up," she said in a deadpan voice, and looked at Ron and Michael, who shook their heads.

"English," Ron told her.

"You got this," Michael said.

Hailey nodded and looked at the snake, willing herself to believe it was alive. If she moved her head in a distinct way, the candlelight made it look as though it were moving. She said, "Open up."

That wasn't the words she heard, a strange hissing had escaped her, and at once the tap glowed with a brilliant white light and began to spin. The sink began to move, the sink, in fact, sank, right out of sight, leaving a large pipe exposed, a pipe wide enough for a man to slide into.

She heard Ron gasp and looked up at him. Hailey made up her mind on what she was going to do. "I'm going down there." How could she not go? Not now they had found the entrance to the Chamber, not if there was even the faintest, slimmest, wildest chance that Ginny might be alive.

"Me too," said Ron.

Michael nodded, "Me too."

There was a pause. "Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile. "I'll just—" He put his hand on the door knob, but Hailey, Ron, and Michael pointed their wands at him.

"You can go first," snarled Ron.

White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening. "Children," he said his voice feeble. "Children, what good will it do?" Hailey jabbed him in the back with her wand and Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe. "I really don't think—" Ron and Michael both shoved Lockhart's shoulders and the man went sliding down the tunnel.

Hailey lowered herself slowly into the pipe and then let go.

It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide. She could see more pipes branching off in all directions, but none as large as theirs, which twisted and turned, sloping steeply downward, and she knew that she was falling deeper below the school then even the dungeons. Behind her she could hear one of the boys, thudding slightly at the curves.

 _What happens if I hit the ground?_ Hailey thought as the pipe started to level out. She shot out of the thick end with a wet thud, landing on the damp floor of a dark stone tunnel, large enough to stand in. Lockhart was getting to his feet a little ways away, covered in slime and he was white as a ghost.

Hailey stood aside as Ron came whizzing out and Michael following after. Hailey said, "We must be miles under the school." Her voice echoed in the black tunnel.

"Under the lake, probably," responded Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls. Michael shuddered at the mention of the lake.

All four of them turned to stare into the darkness ahead.

Hailey took out her wand, " _Lumos_!" The wand lit up and Michael did the same. "C'mon," she said to them. They started walking, their footsteps slapping loudly on the wet floor. They tunnel was so dark that they could only see a little distance ahead. Their shadows on the wet walls looked monstrous in the wandlights. "Remember," Hailey said quietly, as they walked cautiously forward. "Any sign of movement, close your eyes right away…"

The tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud _crunch_. Hailey jumped and whirled around. It looked like Ron stepped on a rat's skull.

Michael lowered his wand to look at the floor and they saw that it was littered with small animal bones. Hailey swallowed at the sight and felt like she was going to be sick. She tried not to imagine what Ginny would look like if they found her.

"Hailey—" Michael started hoarsely.

"There's something up there—" Ron finished, also hoarse, and grabbed at Hailey's shoulder.

They froze, watching. Hailey could just see the outline of something huge and curved, lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.

"Maybe it's asleep," Hailey said, glancing back at the other three. Lockhart's hands were pressed over his eyes and Michael had grabbed onto Hailey's arm.

Hailey turned back to the thing, her heart beating so fast, it hurt. Very slowly, her eyes narrowed as she could make them, yet open enough, so she can still see, she edged forward, her wand held high.

Michael and Hailey's wandlight slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The creature that had shed it must have been twenty feet long at least.

"Blimey," said Ron weakly.

"That's a big snake," said Michael, reaching over to poke and prod the snake skin.

"Don't touch it," Hailey hissed at him.

Lockhart's knees had given way, startling them, they turned around.

"Get up," ordered Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart.

Lockhart got to his feet—then dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.

"Ron!" Hailey shouted jumping forward, but it was too late—Lockhart was straightening up, panting, Ron's wand in his hand and a gleaming smile back on his face. Michael grabbed Hailey' shoulder, and took a step back, making her follow his lead.

"The adventure ends here, children!" he declared. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them that I was too late to save the girl, and that you three _tragically_ lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body—say good-bye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, " _Obliviate_!"

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Hailey grabbed Michael's arm and ran, holding her other arm over her head, slipping over the coils of snake skin, ran out of the way of great chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor. The next moment, they were standing, gazing at a solid wall of broken rock.

"Ron!" Hailey shouted, trying not to picture Ron and Lockhart's dead bodies. "Are you okay? Ron!"

"I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. "I'm okay—this git's not, though—he got blasted by the wand—" There was a dull thud and a loud "ow!" Ron may have kicked Lockhart somewhere. "What now?" Ron's voice asked, sounding desperate. "We can't get through—it'll take ages…"

Hailey and Michael looked up at the tunnel ceiling. Huge cracks had appeared in it. She had never tried to break apart anything as large as these rocks by magic, and now it didn't seem like a good idea to try, because what if the who tunnel caved in?

There was another thud and another "ow!" from behind the rocks. They were wasting time. Ginny had already been in the Chamber of Secrets for hours…

Hailey and Michael looked at each other. There was one thing to do.

"Wait here," the lone girl called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart. We'll go on…If we're not back in an hour…"

There was a long pause.

"I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can—can get back through. And, Hailey, Michael—"

"See you in a bit," Hailey interrupted, trying to sound confident, despite her shaking voice.

They set off past the giant snake skin. The sound of Ron straining to shift the rocks was gone. The tunnel turned and turned again. Every nerve in Hailey's body was tingling unpleasantly.

"Are you scared?" Michael whispered.

Hailey nodded and whispered, "I just want this tunnel to end already."

"I'm scared, too," Michael whispered and grabbed Hailey's hand.

She can feel that his hand was shaking. They went around another bend, to see a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

"Why doesn't Rowena Ravenclaw have something like this?" Michael whispered. "All she has is a lost diadem."

Hailey shrugged and looked at the wall. There was no need to pretend that the stone snake were alive, because those eyes made them look strangely alive. She cleared her throat and the emerald eyes seemed to flicker. " _Open_ ," she said in a low, faint hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and Hailey, shaking, released Michael's hand, and they both walked inside.

* * *

A/N: When I was in middle school, a teacher said something that I forgot, which caused a student to literally squeak, and the teacher said, "Don't get to excited." I decided to put someone squeaking in there.


	17. The Heir of Slytherin

Hailey and Michael were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling that was lost in darkness. It was casting long black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

Hailey's heart was beating very fast, they stood listening to the silence. Could the basilisk be lurking in a shadowy corner, behind a pillar? And where was Ginny?

They pulled out their wands and moved forward between the serpentine columns, their footsteps echoing loudly off the shadowy walls. She kept her eyes narrowed, ready to close them quickly at the smallest of movements. The hollow eye sockets of the stone snakes seemed to follow them. More than once, Michael jerked, and Hailey's stomach jolted when she thought she saw one stir.

They finally drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall. Hailey had to crane her neck to look up into the giant face above them: it was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor.

"Someone's full of themselves," Hailey whispered.

"Ginny!" Michael suddenly shouted, pointing to a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair and they ran to her.

"Ginny—don't be dead—please don't be dead—" Hailey muttered, tossing her wand to the side. Michael set his wand down, while Hailey grabbed Ginny's shoulders. Together, Michael and Hailey rolled Ginny over.

Ginny's face was white as marble and she was as cold as it. Her eyes were closed, she wasn't Petrified, but then she must be—

"Ginny, please wake up," Michael said desperately, shaking her. Ginny's head lolled hopelessly from side to side.

"She won't wake," a third voice said.

They jumped and spun around. There was a tall, handsome, black-haired boy leaning against the nearest pillar, watching them. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Hailey was look at him through a misted window. There was no mistaking him—

"Tom— _Tom Riddle?_ " Hailey asked surprised. Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Hailey's face. Hailey was confused, "What d'you mean she won't wake?"

"She's not—she's not—?" Michael started to ask.

"She's still alive," said Riddle, "But only just."

Hailey stared at him some more. Tom Riddle had a weird, misty light shining about him. He couldn't have been a day older than sixteen. He had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago and she asked stupidly, "are you a ghost?"

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years." He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was the little black diary that Hailey had found in Moaning Mrytle's lavatory. She wondered how it had gotten there. "We've go to get Ginny out of here," Hailey said. "There's a basilisk…we don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment. Can you please help us?" Riddle didn't move and Hailey tried to hoist Ginny off the floor. "Michael…" She looked at Michael, but he was still on his knees, squinting at Riddle, his forehead furrowed, so she knew that he was thinking. She looked at the ground, "Did you see—?" She looked at Riddle, who was twirling Hailey's wand between his long fingers. Something was beginning to get funny.

"You won't be needing it," Riddle said.

"How did Ginny get like this?" Michael asked standing up.

"Well, that's an interesting question," said Riddle, pleasantly. "And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to an invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?" asked Hailey confused.

"The diary," said Riddle, " _My_ diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes—how her brothers _tease_ her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how," Riddle's eyes glinted—"How she noticed Hailey Potter and Michael Corner's close friendship, how she wonder if famous, good, great Hailey Potter would _ever_ like Ron." All the time he spoke, Riddle's eyes never left Hailey's face. There was almost an hungry look in them. "It's very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven-year-old girl," Riddle continued. "But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind."

"Gross," Michael muttered.

Riddle ignoring Michael, continued, "Ginny simply _loved_ me. _No one's ever understood me like you, Tom_ … _I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in_ … _It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket…_ " He laughed, a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him. It sent goose-bumps up Hailey's arms. "If I say it myself, Hailey, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her soul to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted. I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of _my_ secrets, to start pouring a little of _my_ soul back into _her_ …"

The two Ravenclaws looked at Ginny's prone form and then back at Riddle.

"Do you mean that…?" Hailey started.

"Yes, Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, the half-blood, and the Squib's cat," Riddle said softly.

Hailey must've had a look on her face because Riddle continued, "Yes. Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries. Far more interesting they became." He recited, " _Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robes and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got blood all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and I'm not myself. I think he suspects me…There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what I am going to do? I think I'm going mad…I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!_ "

Hailey made fists, her nails were digging into her palms.

"It took a very long time for stupid little Ginny to stop trusting her diary," Riddle said. "But she finally became suspicious and tried to dispose of it. And that's where _you_ came in, Hailey. You found it, and I couldn't have been more delighted. Of all the people who could have picked it up, it was _you_ , the very person I was most anxious to meet…"

"And why did you want to meet me?" asked Hailey, confused and angry. It took an effort to keep her voice steady.

"Well, you see, Ginny told me all about you, Hailey," said Riddle. "Your whole _fascinating_ history." His eyes roamed up to Hailey's forehead. "I knew I must find out more about you, talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my famous capture of that great oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust—"

"Hagrid's our friend," said Hailey. "And you framed him!"

Michael muttered, "Of course you framed him—"

"It was my word against Hagrid's, Hailey. Well, you can how it looked to old Armando Dippet. On the one hand, Tom Riddle, poor but brilliant, parentless but so brave, school prefect, model student…on the other hand, big, blundering Hagrid, in trouble ever other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, sneaking off to the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls…but I admit, even _I_ was surprised how well the plan worked. I thought _someone_ must realize that Hagrid couldn't possibly be the Heir of Slytherin.

It had taken _me_ five whole years to find out everything I could about the Chamber of Secrets and discover the secret entrance…as though Hagrid had the brains, or the power! Only the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. Yes, I think Dumbledore might have guessed…Dumbledore never seemed to like me as much as the other teachers did…"

"Dumbledore must've seen right through you, didn't he?" Michael asked.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after Hagrid was expelled," said Riddle. "I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school. But I wasn't going to waste those long years I'd spent searching for it. I decided to leave behind a diary, preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day, with luck, I would be able to lead another in my footsteps, and finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished it," said Hailey. "No one's died this time, not even the cat. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready and everyone who was Petrified will be all right again—"

"Haven't I already told you that killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For many months now, my new target has been— _you_ ," Riddle interrupted. "Imagine how angry I was when the next time my diary was opened, it was Ginny who was writing to me, not you. She saw you with the diary, you see, and panicked. What if you found out how to work it, and I repeated all her secrets to you? What if, even worse, I told you who'd been strangling roosters? So the foolish little brat had her friend bring her in, waited until your dormitory was deserted, and stole it back. But I knew what I must do. It was clear to me that you were on the trail of Slytherin's heir. From everything Ginny had told me about you, I knew you would go to any lengths to solve the mystery—particularly if one of your best friends was attacked. And Ginny had told me the whole school was buzzing because you could speak Parseltongue…

So I made Ginny write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and cried and became _very_ boring. But there isn't much life left in her. She put too much into the diary, into me. Enough to let me leave its pages at last. I have been waiting for you to appear since we arrived here. I knew you'd come. I have many questions for you, Hailey Potter."

"Like what?" demanded Hailey.

Riddle smiled pleasantly. "Well, how is it that _you_ —a skinny girl with no extraordinary magical talent—managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did _you_ escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" There was an odd red gleam in his hungry eyes now.

"Why do you care how I escaped?" asked Hailey slowly. "Voldemort was after your time…"

"Voldemort is my past, present, and future, Hailey Potter…" said Riddle softly. He pulled Hailey's wand from his pocket and began to trace it through the air, writing three shimmering fiery looking words:

 _TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE_

Riddle waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged themselves:

 _I AM LORD VOLDEMORT_

Michael inhaled sharply.

"You see?" Riddle whispered. "It was a name I was already using at Hogwarts, to my most intimate friends only, of course. You think I was going to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Hailey—I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Hailey stared numbly at Riddle, at the orphaned boy who had grown up to murder Hailey's own parents and so many others…Before she could speak, Michael said, quite angrily, "You're not."

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"Not the greatest sorcerer in the world," Hailey said. "Sorry to disappoint you and all that, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even when you were strong, you didn't dare try and take over at Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were at school and he still frightens you now, wherever you're hiding these days—"

Riddle's smile faded and was replaced with an ugly look. "Dumbledore's been driven out of this castle by the mere _memory_ of me!"

Michael replied, "He wasn't! He was suspended—"

There was eerie, spine-tingling, unearthly music coming from somewhere. Riddle whirled around to stare down the empty Chamber, where the music was growing louder. It lifted the hair on Hailey's arms. The music released a long note and flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar. It was a crimson bird as big as a swan, with a glittering golden tail as long as a peacock's, with gleaming golden talons. It was holding a ragged bundle.

The phoenix flew straight to Hailey and dropped the ragged thing at Hailey's feet. It landed heavily on Hailey's shoulder and it folded its wings. Hailey looked over at it and saw that it had a long, sharp golden beak, and a beady black eye. It stopped singing and sat still and warm. It gazed at Riddle.

Michael started to say, "Is that—"

"That's a phoenix," Riddle said slowly.

" _Fawkes?_ " Hailey asked and Fawkes squeeze her shoulder gently. Michael reached over and stroke Fawkes's feathers. Michael looked awed, which Hailey thought was kind of cute.

"And that—" Riddle started, looking at the ragged thing at Hailey's feet that Fawkes dropped. "That's the old school Sorting Hat—"

Riddle began to laugh again. He laughed so hard that the dark Chamber rang with it, as though there were ten Riddles laughing at once. "This is what Dumbledore sends his defenders! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave Hailey Potter and Michael Corner? Do you feel safe now?"

Hailey wasn't sure, but she could see Fawkes attacking Riddle. Maybe get a few scratches and bites in. Sure, Fawkes might die, but he would just be reborn from the ashes. She wasn't sure what to do with the Sorting Hat though. Maybe throw it as a distraction? Hope that it hits Riddle in the face to buy them time to run away? She looked down at Ginny.

"To business, Hailey," said Riddle, still smiling broadly. "Twice—in _your_ past, in _my_ future—we have met. And twice I failed to kill you. _How did you survive?_ Tell me everything. The longer you talk, the longer you stay alive."

The longer they stood there, talking, the more life was dwindling out of Ginny…Hailey looked at Riddle, noticing that Riddle was becoming clearer, more solid. If she had to fight him, it would be sooner than later.

"The mystery is that no one knows why you lost your powers after you tried to kill her," Michael said.

"I don't know why myself," Hailey said. "I know why you couldn't _kill_ me."

"You do?" Michael asked confused.

"My mother died to save me. My common _Muggle-born_ mother," Hailey said, shaking with rage. "She stopped you from killing me. And I've seen the real you, I saw you last term. You're a wreck. You're barely alive. That's where all your power got you. You're in hiding. You're ugly, you're foul—"

"Hailey…" Michael warned, watching as Riddle's face contorted.

Riddle forced it into a smile, "So, your mother died to save you? Yes, that's a powerful counter-charm. I can see now…there is nothing special about you after all. I wondered, you see. Because there are strange likenesses between us, Hailey Potter. Even you must have noticed. Both half-bloods, orphans, raised by Muggles. Probably the only two Parselmouths to come to Hogwarts, since the great Slytherin himself." He eyed Hailey. "Was expecting to even _look_ something alike…but after all, it was merely a lucky chance that saved you from me. That's all I wanted to know."

"Expecting to even look something alike?" Michael repeated and looked at Hailey, who shrugged. That was just an odd thing to say.

"Now, Hailey, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against famous Hailey Potter, unknown Michael Corner, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give them…" He looked amused as he eyed Fawkes and the Sorting Hat. He walked away.

Hailey watched Riddle stop between the high pillars and look up into the stone face of Slytherin.

"Close your eyes when you see it," Hailey said.

Riddle hissed and Hailey understood what he said. _"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four."_

"What did he say?" Michael asked.

Hailey looked up at the statute, where the Slytherin's stone face was moving. Slytherin's mouth was opening wider and wider, to make a huge black hole. Something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from its depths.

"Close your eyes," Michael instructed and Hailey did as she was told. She backed up until she hit the stone wall and she felt Michael grab her arm. Fawkes took flight and Hailey was tempted to say, "don't leave me" but she couldn't.

Something huge hit the floor and Hailey felt it shudder. She could tell that the giant serpent was uncoiling itself from Slytherin's mouth. She heard Riddle's hissing voice: _"Kill them."_

Hailey grabbed Michael's hand and she heard the basilisk moving toward them, its body slithering heavily across the dusty floor. Eyes still tightly shut; she began to run blindly sideways, her hand outstretched, feeling her way. Voldemort was laughing and then Hailey tripped, bringing Michael down with her.

Michael groaned and said, "Well, that must've been funny.

There was a loud, explosive spitting sound right above them, causing Hailey to flinch, and then something heavy hit them so hard, that they were smashed into the wall. Hailey nearly whimpered and there was more mad hissing, something thrashed against the pillars—Hailey opened her eyes wide enough to squint at what was going on.

The basilisk was a bright, poisonous green colour and thick as an oak trunk. It had raised itself high in the air, and its great blunt head was weaving drunkenly between the pillars. She was ready to close her eyes if it turned, she saw what had distracted it.

Fawkes was soaring around its head, and the basilisk was snapping furiously at him with fangs long and thin as sabers—

"Fawkes is distracting the basilisk," Hailey told Michael.

Michael lifted himself onto his elbow and looked up.

Fawkes dived and his long golden beak sank out of sight and there was a sudden shower of dark blood spattering the ground and Michael. He was disgusted, "I guess I'm going to be covered in blood at least once through my years here."

The snake trashed, narrowly hitting Michael and Hailey. It turned and Hailey saw that both, bulbous yellow eyes were punctured, and blood was pouring down its face. The snake was spitting in agony.

" _No! Leave the bird! Leave the bird! They're behind you! They're behind you! You can still smell them! Kill them!_ " Riddle was ordering the basilisk.

The blinded basilisk swayed, confused, yet it was still deadly. Fawkes was circling its head, piping his eerie song, jabbing here and there at its scaly nose, at the blood poured from its ruined eyes.

Michael started, "I'm going to d—"

The snake's tail whipped across the floor and they ducked. Something soft hit Hailey's face and she looked down at the Sorting Hat in her arms. The basilisk had swept the Sorting Hat into her arms.

"If you put it on, it might give you some advice or something. I hope," Michael said and ducked as the tail swung over them again.

Hailey put it on and thought desperately, _Help us—help us—please help us—_

There was no answering voice like Hailey hoped. Instead the hat contracted, as though someone was squeezing it very tightly.

Something very had and heavy thudded onto her head, almost knocking her out. She blinked back the blackness and grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off. There was something very long and hard beneath it. She saw a gleaming silver sword that had appeared inside the hat, its handle glittering with rubies the size of eggs.

" _Kill them! Leave the bird! They're behind you! Sniff—Smell them!"_ Riddle was ordering the basilisk.

Hailey and Michael both were on their feet. Hailey was ready, holding a sword in her hand. The basilisk's head was falling; its body was coiling around, hitting pillars as it twisted to face them.

Hailey could see the vast, bloody eye sockets, see the mouth stretching wide, wide enough to swallow her whole. Its mouth was lined with fangs as long as the sword, thin, glittering, venomous—

It lunged blindly—and the two second years ran separate ways. The basilisk hit the Chamber wall. It lunged again and this time its aim was true—Hailey threw her whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt of the serpent's mouth—

Warm blood drenched Hailey's arms, and a searing pain just above her elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into her arm and it splintered as the basilisk keeled over, twitching, to the floor.

Hailey slid down the wall and gripped the fang that was spreading poison through her body and wrenched it out of her arm. She knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the pain. She dropped the fang and watched her own blood soaking her robes, her vision was going foggy. The Chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull colour and a patch of scarlet swam past. Hailey heard a soft clatter of claws beside her and she said thickly, "Fawkes. You were fantastic, Fawkes…"

She felt the phoenix lay its head on the spot where the serpent fang pierced her. Someone grabbed her face.

"You're going to be okay…" Michael said.

"She's dying, too," said Riddle's voice. "You're dead, Hailey Potter. Dead. Even Dumbledore's bird knows it. Do you see what he's doing, Potter and Corner? He's crying."

Hailey blinked and Fawkes's head slid in and out of focus. Thick, pearly tears were trickling down the glossy feathers. There was something about phoenix tears that she could remember, but she couldn't recall it.

Riddle taunted, "We're going to sit here and watch you, die, Hailey Potter. Take your time. I'm in no hurry."

Hailey was feeling drowsy and everything around seemed to be spinning. Michael turned Hailey's face to him. "You're going to be all right, Fawkes is making sure of that."

"So ends the famous Hailey Potter," Riddle continued. "In the Chamber of Secrets, defeated at last by the Dark Lord she so unwisely challenged. You'll be back with your dead Mudblood mother soon, Hailey…She bought you twelve years of borrowed time…but Lord Voldemort got you in the end, as you knew he must…"

 _If this is dying, it's not so bad,_ Hailey thought, as the pain was leaving her. Instead of her vision was going black, the Chamber seemed to be coming back into focus. Hailey gave her head a little shake and there was Fawkes, still resting his head on Hailey's arm. A pearly patch of tears was shining all around the wound—except that there was _no_ wound—

"Get away, bird," said Riddle suddenly, "Get away from her—I said, _get away_ —"

Hailey raised her head and Riddle was pointing Hailey's wand at Fawkes; there was a bang and Fawkes took flight again in a whirl of gold and scarlet.

"Phoenix tears…" said Riddle, quietly. "Of course…healing powers…I forgot…" He looked into Hailey's face. "But it makes no difference. In fact, I prefer it this way. Just you and me, Hailey Potter…you and me…" Riddle raised the wand and there was a rush of wings. Fawkes soared back overhead and something fell between Michael and Hailey—it was the diary. Riddle and Hailey both looked at it. Riddle was still holding the wand. Michael scrambled for the basilisk fang and the diary. He plunged the fang straight into the heart of the diary.

There was a long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Michael's hands and pooling on the floor. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then—he was gone. Hailey and Michael's wands fell to the floor with clatters. There was silence, except for the steady dripping of ink oozing from the diary. Michael held it up to see a sizzling hole that the venom had created, which had gone through it. He said, darkly to the diary, "You talk too bloody much." He looked at Hailey. "Seriously, he just kept on talking and talking…" He stood up and helped Hailey up, who was shaking. Her head was still spinning, like she just traveled miles by Floo powder.

"You actually figured out that would get rid of him?" Hailey asked.

"Kind of," Michael admitted. "He mentioned he preserved his sixteen-year-old self in the diary. When you were dying from the basilisk venom, I figured that I could just stab this diary to get rid of him, because he said he was almost free from the pages. Also…I just really hate the bloody thing." He held it up and ink dripped from it and he looked disgusted, "or inky thing."

A faint moan came from the end of the Chamber; Ginny was stirring. They hurried towards her, she sat up. She looked over at the dead basilisk; Hailey's bloodied robes, and the inky diary in Michael's hands. She drew a shuddering gasp and tears started traveling down her cheeks.

"Hailey—I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I _c-couldn't_ say it front of Percy—it was _me_ , Hailey—but I—I s-swear I d-didn't mean to—R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over—and— _how_ did you kill that—that thing? W-where's Riddle? That last thing I r-remember is him coming out of the diary—"

"It's all right," said Michael, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the hole, "Riddle's finished. Look! Him _and_ the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here—"

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as Hailey helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've looked forward to coming to Hogwarts ever since B-Bill came and n-now I'll have to leave and— _w-what'll Mum and Dad say?_ "

Fawkes was waiting for them, hovering in the Chamber entrance. Hailey went to the basilisk and pulled the sword from the dead creature's mouth. She picked up the Sorting Hat and she walked back to the Chamber entrance. Michael must have put the fang and diary in his robes' pocket. He allowed Hailey to go ahead of him and they stepped over the motionless coils of the dead basilisk. They walked through the echoing gloom, and back into the tunnel. Michael jumped when the stone doors closed behind them with a soft hiss. After a few minutes' progress up the dark tunnel, a distant sound of slowly shifting rock reached Hailey's ears.

"Ron!" Hailey yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's okay! We've got her!" Ron gave a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see Ron's face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rockfall.

"Ginny!" Ron shouted and thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How—what—" Fawkes swooped through the gap. "Where did that bird come from?"

"He's Dumbledore's," said Hailey, squeezing through.

"How come you've got a _sword_?" asked Ron, gaping at the glittering sword that Hailey was holding.

"I'll explain when we get out of here," said Hailey. She looked at Ginny who was crying harder than ever.

Ron started, "But—"

"Later," said Hailey shortly. She figured that it wasn't a good idea to tell Ron who'd been opening the Chamber; at least, not right in front of Ginny. She looked around, "Where's Lockhart?"

Ron still looked confused. "Back there," he jerked his head up the tunnel towards the pipe. "He's in a bad way. Come and see."

Led by Fawkes, whose wide scarlet wings emitted a soft golden glow in the darkness, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe.

"One thing I can tell you is that, Riddle never shuts the hell up," Michael said.

Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's gone," explained Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit himself instead of us. Hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

Lockhart peered good-naturedly up at them all and said, "Hello. Odd sort of place, this, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Hailey.

Hailey crouched down and looked up the long, dark pipe. She looked at Ron, "Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?"

Fawkes swooped past Hailey and was now fluttering in front of her, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold…" Ron said, looking perplexed. "But you're much to heavy for a bird to pull up there—"

"Fawkes isn't an ordinary bird," Hailey said and turned to the others.

"Fawkes is a phoenix. They're known to carry immensely heavy loads and their tears can heal anything," Michael said.

Hailey said, "Okay, we've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Professor Lockhart—"

"She means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.

"You hold Ginny's other hand," Hailey said to Lockhart. "Michael—"

"I'll grab Lockhart's robes," Michael said.

Hailey passed the sword and Sorting Hat to Ron, so he can tuck them into his belt. Ron grabbed the back of Hailey's robes and Hailey reached over and grabbed onto Fawkes's strangely hot tail feathers.

An extraordinary lightness seemed to spread through her whole body and in a rush of wings, they were flying upward through the pipe. Hailey could hear Lockhart saying, "Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!"

The chill air was whipping through her hair, and then all five of them were hitting the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's lavatory. Hailey was saddened, because she was enjoying the ride. Ron gave the sword and Sorting Hat back to Hailey.

Lockhart was straightening his hat, while the sink that hid the pipes was sliding back into place. Myrtle goggled at them and blankly said to Michael, "You're alive."

"There's no need to sound so disappointed." Michael replied, looking at the ink, basilisk blood, and slime covering his hands

"Oh, well…I'd just been thinking…if you had died…you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.

Hailey wasn't sure how to feel about that. She looked at Michael, who had some sort of odd look on his face. He probably pictured him and Myrtle sharing the toilet. Someone would probably call it the 'Lovebirds' Toilet' or call them 'Toilet Stall Lovers.'

"Urgh!" said Ron, as they left the lavatory and smirked, "Michael! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you!" Tears were still flooding down Ginny's face and Ron looked at Hailey, "where now?"

She pointed at Fawkes who seemed to be leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They walked after him, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.

Hailey knocked and pushed the door open.

* * *

A/N: I'll admit, I wrote this chapter out before I even finished the Polyjuice Potion chapter.

I noticed that at one point, Harry is holding a diary and a sword, which Ginny somehow bypassed when she looks around, and asks how Harry killed the basilisk. So, I decided to have Hailey leave the sword in the basilisk's mouth, when she and Michael go check on Ginny. Also, the diary somehow disappears when Ron asks Harry why he is holding a sword and then in the next chapter Harry has the diary. I'll assume that Harry put the diary in his robes pocket.

Just one more chapter to go before Year 2 is finished.


	18. Dobby's Reward

For a moment, there was silence as the five stood there in the doorway, covered in muck and slime, and blood (in Hailey's case) and (ink and a bit of basilisk blood in Michael's case). There was a scream, " _Ginny!_ " It was from Mrs Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr Weasley. The both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Hailey looked at Professor Dumbledore, who was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder. Hailey, Ron, and Michael were swept into Mrs Weasley's tight embrace. "You save her! You saved her! _How_ did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.

Mrs Weasley let go of Hailey, who hesitated for a moment, then walked over, laying the sword and Sorting Hat on the desk. Michael placed the fang and destroyed diary next to the two other objects.

Hailey explained everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour, she spoke into the rapt silence: she told them about hearing the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realized that Hailey was hearing an basilisk in the pipes, how she, Ron, and Michael had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told them where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how they had guessed that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets might be in her lavatory.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted Hailey as she paused. "So you found out where the entrance was—breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add—but how on _earth_ did you all get out of there alive, Potter and Corner?"

Michael took up explaining Fawkes's timely arrival and Hailey chimed in about the Sorting Hat producing the sword. She faltered, unsure how to mention Riddle's diary or Ginny. She looked back to see Ginny standing with her head on Mrs Weasley's shoulder. Tears were still pouring down her cheeks.

 _What if they expel her?_ Hailey thought worried. Riddle's diary, hopefully didn't work anymore. How could prove that it had been Riddle who made her do it all?  
Hailey looked back at Dumbledore, who smiled faintly, the firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.

"What interests _me_ most," said Dumbledore gently, "Is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief swept over Hailey.

"W-what's that?" said Mr Weasley in a stunned voice. " _You-Know-Who?_ En-enchant _Ginny?_ But Ginny's not…Ginny hasn't been…has she?"

"It was this diary," Michael said quickly. He picked it up and gave it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen."

Dumbledore took the diary from Michael and peered keenly down at the burnt and soggy pages. "Brilliant. Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered. "Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school…traveled far and wide…sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But, Ginny," said Mrs Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with—with— _him_?"

"His d-diary!" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year—"

"Ginny!" said Mr Weasley flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself _if you can't see where it keeps its brain._ Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was _clearly_ full of Dark Magic—"

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it—"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice—I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's okay," said Ron brightly.

"And Mandy," Michael added.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.

Mrs Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.

"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, almost moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potter, Corner, and Weasley, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

She left, and the three second years gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. Hailey wondered what had Professor McGonagall meant, _deal_ with them? Were they about to be punished?

"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," said Dumbledore to Hailey and Ron.

Ron gaped in horror and Michael awkwardly played with a spot of dried basilisk blood.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore continued smiling. "You three will both receive Special Awards for Services to the School and—let me see—yes, I think two hundred points for Gryffindor and two hundred points apiece for Ravenclaw."

Ron went as brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and Ron closed his mouth again. Michael looked at the desk, like he wanted to hide under it, out of embarrassment

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

Hailey jolted, completely forgetting about Lockhart. She turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing a vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who was talking to.

"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly. "There was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart—"

"Am I a professor?" asked Lockhart in middle surprise. "Goodness, I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"

"Sword?" Lockhart asked dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That girl has though." He pointed at Hailey, "She'll lend you one."

"Would you two mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore asked Michael and Ron. "I'd like a few more word with Hailey…"

Lockhart ambled out with Michael following. Hailey heard Michael say, "It's this way."

Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Hailey as Ron closed the door.

Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire. "Sit down, Hailey." Hailey went to a chair and sat down. "First of all, Hailey, I want to thank you." His eyes were twinkling again. "You and Michael must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you two." He stroked the phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. Hailey smiled awkwardly as Dumbledore watched her. "And so you met Tom Riddle. I imagine he was _most_ interested in you…"

Something was nagging at her came tumbling out of her mouth. "Professor Dumbledore…Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said…"

" _Did_ he, now?" Dumbledore said, looking thoughtfully at Hailey under thick silver eyebrows. "And what do you think, Hailey?"

"I don't think I'm like him!" said Hailey, more loudly than she's intended. "I mean, I'm—I'm in _Ravenclaw_. The Sorting Hat considered placing me in Gryffindor, like it told me my parents were in. Just because we can speak Parseltongue, even though everyone thought _I_ was Slytherin's heiress for a while…"

"Have you given it any thought on why you're a Parselmouth?" Dumbledore asked.

Hailey was confused, "N-no. It's a rare gift, as much as I've read up on it anyway."

"You can speak Parseltongue because Lord Voldemort—who _is_ the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin—can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do I'm sure…"

Hailey was stunned, "Voldemort put a bit of himself in _me_?"

"It certainly seems so," Dumbledore replied.

"So the Sorting Hat should've considered putting me in Slytherin," Hailey asked. "The Sorting Hat surely must've seen Slytherin's power in me, yet—"

"It put you in Ravenclaw," said Dumbledore calmly.

"Yet, it considered putting me in Gryffindor," Hailey said. "Why is that? It considered putting me in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, but not Slytherin."

"I want you to look more closely at _this_ ," Dumbledore said, reaching across Professor McGonagall's desk and picked up the blood-stained silver sword. He handed it to Hailey, who took it.

She dully turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. She saw the name engraved just below the hilt.

 _Godric Gryffindor_

"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled _that_ out of the hat, Hailey," said Dumbledore simply.

Hailey stared at the sword and frowned, "But I'm not in Gryffindor. I'm in Ravenclaw. How can I be a true Gryffindor?"

"Ah, Hailey," Dumbledore started. "You have the mind of a Ravenclaw, yet you have the heart of a Gryffindor. I believe that the Sorting Hat at the moment listened to your heart more than your mind. Your parents were in Gryffindor, after all. They were some of the bravest people I had the pleasure of ever meeting." He pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk. He took out a quill and a bottle of ink. "What you need, Hailey, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban—we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

Hailey put the sword back on the desk, stood up, and crossed to the door. She reached for the handle; however, the door burst open so violently that it bounced off the wall. Hailey jumped up and saw that Lucius Malfoy was standing there, furious. Cowering behind Lucius's legs was a heavily bandaged Dobby, which infuriated Hailey.

"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore, pleasantly.

Lucius almost knocked Hailey over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem Lucius's cloak, looking terrified. Dobby was carrying a stained rag and was attempting to finish cleaning Lucius's shoes.

Hailey noticed that Lucius must've left in a hurry because his shoes were half-polished and his sleek hair was disheveled. Dobby was apologizing, which was ignored.

"So!" Lucius said, "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

Dumbledore smiled serenely, "Well, you see Lucius, the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too…Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Hailey noticed that Lucius went paler than usual. Lucius sneered, "So—have you stopped the attacks yet? Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.

"Well?" asked Lucius sharply, "Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary," he held up the small black book, with the large through the center, watching Lucius closely. Hailey looked at Dobby, who was doing something very odd.

Dobby's eyes were fixed meaningfully on Hailey; he kept pointing at the diary, then at Lucius, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.

"I see…" said Lucius slowly to Dumbledore.

Hailey was trying to figure out what Dobby was trying to tell her.

"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice. Lucius gave Hailey a swift, sharp look, as if realizing that she was there all along. Dumbledore kept eye-contact with Lucius, "Because if Hailey here and her friends hadn't discovered this book, why—Ginny Wealsey might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will."

Lucius said nothing, his face stoic.

"And imagine," Dumbledore continued, "What might have happened then…The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and killing Muggle-borns…Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise…"

Lucius said stiffly, "Very fortunate."

Behind Lucius's back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, and then punching himself in the head.

Hailey understood and she nodded at Dobby, who backed into a corner, twisting his ears in punishment. She looked at Lucius, angry all over. "Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr Malfoy?"

Lucius rounded on Hailey. "How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?"

Hailey forced herself to smile sweetly. "That's because you gave it to her in Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

Lucius hands clenched and unclenched. "Prove it," he hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Hailey. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you."

Lucius's stood for a moment, and Hailey could've sworn she saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. He turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!" He wrenched open the door and as Dobby came hurrying up to him, Lucius kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor.

Hailey stood there for a moment, thinking what to do on rescuing Dobby. It came to her, "Professor Dumbledore," she said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary _back_ to Mr Malfoy, please?"

Dumbledore spoke calmly, "certainly, Hailey. But hurry. The feast, remember…"

Hailey grabbed the diary and ran out of the office. She could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly, she took of one of her shoes, pulled of the slimly, filthy sock, and placed the diary in the sock. She ran down the corridor and caught up with them. "Mr Malfoy, I've got something for you…" She forced the sock in Lucius's hand.

Lucius looked disgusted, "What the—?" He ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, and looked furious between Hailey and the diary.

"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Hailey Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too." He turned to walk away. "Come, Dobby." Lucius turned to Dobby, "Come Dobby. I said, come."

"Master has given a sock," said Dobby in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."

"What's that?" spat Lucius. "What did you say?"

"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby—Dobby is _free_."

Lucius stood frozen, staring the elf, and then lunged at Hailey. "You've lost me my servant, girl!"

"You shall not harm Hailey Potter!" shouted Dobby. There was a loud bang, and Lucius was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand.

Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. He said, fiercely, "You shall go now!" He was pointing down at Lucius. "You shall not touch Hailey Potter. You shall go now."

Lucius gave them a last, incensed stare at the pair of them, he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

"Hailey Potter freed Dobby!" exclaimed the elf shrilly, gazing up at Hailey. "Hailey Potter set Dobby free!"

"It was the least I could do, Dobby," said Hailey, smiling. "Just promise never to try and save my life again." The elf's face split suddenly into a wide, toothy smile. "I've just got one question, Dobby." Dobby was pulling on Hailey's sock with shaking hands. "You told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well—"

"It was a clue, Miss," said Dobby, his eyes widening. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," said Hailey. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friends Hermione and Mandy should be awake by now."

Dobby threw his arms around Hailey's middle and hugged her. Hailey awkwardly hugged him back. "Hailey Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed, "Farwell, Hailey Potter!"

"Farewell, Dobby," said Hailey as Dobby faded away.

* * *

Hailey washed up as much as she can before heading to the Great Hall. Everybody was in their pajamas, except for Michael, Ron, and her.

As they were eating, the door to the Great Hall opened. Hermione and Mandy both ran down the aisle. Hermione was screaming, "You solved it! You solved it!" She hugged the three of them, although she kissed Ron and Michael on the cheek. Mandy hugged them as well, before going to eat.

Justin came hurrying over, apologizing for suspecting Hailey, wringing her hand. Professor Dumbledore stood up to announce that all exams had been canceled as a school treat, much to everyone's cheers and claps, but Mandy looked horrified.

At half past three, the doors opened and Hagrid walked in. "Sorry, I'm late." He started walking down the aisle, "The owl delivering my release papers got all lost and confused. Some ruddy bird called Errol."

He stopped in between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables. He looked between them and spoke quietly. "I'd just like to say that if it hadn't been for the five of you, I would, uh, I would still be you know where so…I'd just like to say, thanks."

Hailey sat there and then stood up. "There's no Hogwarts without you, Hagrid." She hugged Hagrid. Mandy stood up and hugged Hagrid as well. It was topped off with a standing ovation by everyone in the hall, except for Malfoy and his friends.

Dumbledore announced that Ravenclaw the House Cup for the second time, because of the four hundred points that Hailey and Michael won. He also announced that Lockhart wasn't going to return next term, because he needed to get his memory back.

"Shame," said Ron. "He was starting to grow on me."

* * *

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal, but Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled. Lucius Malfoy was also sacked as school governor and Draco stopped strutting around the school as though he owned the place. Malfoy looked resentful and sulky, while Ginny looked happy again.

Since it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Hailey, Ron, Hermione, Mandy, Michael, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster Fireworks, and practiced Disarming each other by magic. Hailey found that she was getting very good at it.

Hailey remembered something, "Ginny—what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

Ginny was giggling, "oh, that. Well—Percy's got a _girlfriend_."

Fred was getting a stack of books down from the luggage compartment but dropped them on George's head at the news.

" _What?_ " The rest chorused together

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," explained Ginny. "That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them _snogging_ in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was—you know—attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.

The Hogwarts Express slowed and finally stopped. Hailey pulled out her quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron to say, "this is called a telephone number." She wrote it down four times, and ripped the parchment. She passed it around to them, before looking at Ron. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer—he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to."

"I think I'm going to be grounded over summer, so I probably won't be able to call you, considering all the rules I've broken." Michael said, looking at the telephone number.

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" asked Hermione as they got off the train, and joined the crowd heading towards the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" repeated Hailey. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious."

"You aunt and uncle sound like terrible people," Michael said.

Michael, Hailey, and Mandy walked through the gateway to the Muggle world. As soon as they left through the barrier, a woman shouted, "Michael Scott Corner!"

"Your middle name's Scott?" Mandy asked Michael confused.

Hailey turned to see a family of three. A black-haired, stern faced woman and a man with a buzz cut. A girl around Hailey's height was standing in between them. The girl had dark brown hair, in a plait, however she was grinning widely. The girl pointed at Michael, "They say you're in so much trouble!"

"Evangeline, don't be rude by shouting in public and pointing at people!" the man, presumably Mr Corner shouted back.

"You got to tell me everything that happened!" Evangeline shouted, "Don't leave anything out!"

"Don't yell!" Mrs Corner shouted.

"Loud family," Mandy commented, looking warily at the little family.

"Trust me; our ceiling is cracking from our upstairs neighbour hitting the floor because of them yelling," Michael said.

"Hurry up, Mikey!" Evangeline shouted.

"I'm coming!" Michael yelled back and turned to his friends, "Bye. Have a good summer." He hugged the two girls before going to meet his family.

"Have a good summer. Don't forget to call." Hailey said to Mandy, before walking to the Dursleys.

Dudley was giving her a nasty smile. "Was that your boyfriend?"

Hailey almost sighed, "No, Dudley. He's just a friend."

* * *

A/N: I figure that Dumbledore must've written to the Dursleys because Hermione asked if they would be proud on what Harry done. So, I figure that Dumbledore wrote to Michael's parents on what happened, too.

Also, his parents were just going through Anger, Born of Worry type of thing. He broke so many rules, something was attacking students, and he almost died in the Chamber of Secrets. They're just worried, especially since he was a good kid before Hogwarts, despite writing on toilet stalls, and now he's suddenly breaking the rules and risking his life because of some girl. So, they're going to be angry and worried.


End file.
